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The Home Base Primary Care (HBPC) Social Worker is assigned to the Extended Care and Rehabilitation Service Line. The incumbent will provide social work services for Veterans in the St. Cloud HBPC service area. They will provide social work services to adult and geriatric Veterans enrolled in the HBPC Program with high quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and will coordinate linkage with appropriate VA and community service providers / agencies as needed by the Veteran. 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Education Requirement: Master of Social Work: Applicants must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Note: 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. OR Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Licensure Requirement: Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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. OR Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. OR Grandfathering Provision: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-9 None beyond the basic requirements. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. 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. 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. 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. 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-9 to GS-11. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU HBPC Social Work Functions include the following tasks: Develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, and family members/significant others, whenever possible. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veteran's functional status and safely maintain the veteran in his/her home. The assessment will include a home visit. The initial assessment and assessment updates will be completed as specified by the policy for the assigned work area. Contribute to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran, family members/significant others and other HBPC clinical staff. Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for non-institutional, institutional services/programs and entitlements as the subject matter expert on resources. The Social Worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and families/significant others of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. Use the current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of veterans. The Social Worker will refer the Veteran to needed services. Understand the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran and family members/significant others. When appropriate and feasible, Social Worker will educate and encourage the Veteran to advocate on his/her own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Make rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. The Social Worker has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, the Social Worker will follow the protocol of HBPC Program and the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. Coordinate the referrals of non-institutional services such as HBPC, ADHC/CADHC, home hospice and skilled and non-skilled homecare services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members. The Social Worker is also responsible for the coordination of the referrals of institutional placements in Adult Homes, Assisted Living Programs, CNH or VA-CLC. This includes reviewing the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for non-institutional and institutional alternatives. The Social Worker will educate the Veteran, their family members/significant others and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family members/significant others on the preferred option. Provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans and families/significant others to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Provide the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/disabling illness(es), onset of a catastrophic illness and need for non-institutional or institutional services, as needed, during the course of the veteran's enrollment in the HBPC Program. Enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the Veteran is shared with other VA staff. This information will be reviewed on a regular basis. The Social Worker will establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. The Social Worker will attend all appropriate staff meetings (i.e. team meetings, Social Work staff meetings, Social Work supervision meetings, committee meetings, workgroups, etc., as appropriate) and perform other duties as required. The Social Worker will collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program. The Social Worker will participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0800-1630 evenings and weekends maybe required. Telework: Eligible to telework with minimum of one day a week Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required"]

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