This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Social Worker, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to Basic Requirements for Licensure. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09-GS11. Physical Requirements. No special physical qualifications are required to perform the work. The work requires the ability to move around the office and facility. The work is performed in offices, meeting rooms, and may require occasional travel to training conference. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent, a Social Worker, functions as the VA Maine Health Care System (VAMEHCS) Case Manager for the Suicide Prevention program within the Mental Health Service to include Seven Community-Based Outpatient Clinics. The Suicide Prevention program serves to facilitate implementation of suicide prevention strategies for the VAMEHCS. Activities include support for the identification of Veterans at high-risk for suicide; coordinating enhanced care when indicated; and education of providers, Veterans, families and community agencies/individuals on the risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options. The primary component of the program is VA case management services, designed to improve/maintain Veteran's health and mental health, enhancing their ability to remain stable, housed and community-integrated. Suicide Prevention Case Manager duties include but limited to, care coordination and timely response to clinical consults; provision of brief evidence-based individual psychotherapy; case management; data collection and tracking; Mental Health staff support and consultation; identification and tracking of patients at high-risk for suicide (including review and updates every 90 days); education of MH staff regarding Safety Planning best practices; assistance, education and support to Primary Care and specialty care medical staff regarding suicide prevention; and community outreach. The patient population is varied, and is comprised of complex outpatients, who may have chronic suicidality. Should be experienced in the assessment and management of a broad range of acute and chronic mental health difficulties, including outpatient crisis assessment/intervention, and substance-abuse disorders. Must be willing to learn all accreditation and regulatory requirements for the Mental Health Service, maintain annual Medical Center continuing education, and adhere to the best clinical practices. Responsible for data collection, administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements. Interviews veterans, families, and other significant contacts. Uses interviews to establish facts about the veteran's condition, the environment, available support, eligibility, and impact of circumstances on the veteran. Conducts suicide risk assessments with veterans which involve identification of known suicide risk factors, warning signs, psychosocial stressors, and protective factors. Makes clinical judgments regarding level of assessed suicide risk and determines appropriate plan of care that is consistent with the level of assessed risk. Assures that all high-risk patients have completed a Safety Plan which documents crisis intervention strategies the veteran can use to remain safe. Responsible for contacting the primary therapist for veterans identified as being high risk for suicide to coordinate monitoring activities, tracking appointments and coordinating enhanced care as needed. Performs other directly-related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 0730-1600 Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Social Worker/PD000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Hannah.Neilson@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. This position is in the Excepted Service. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Selectee may be required to work at any VA Maine Healthcare System campus, as needed. May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment."]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
