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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. ***This is an open continuous announcement until August 4, 2023. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** 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. 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. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. 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). (1) 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. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (2) 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. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: 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. 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 5005/120 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. Physical Requirements: Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. ["Conducts psychosocial assessments with a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Incorporates complex, multiple causation factors, in establishing differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial assessments and psychiatric diagnoses. Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients, formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Develops a seamless discharge plan for patients. Works closely with VA and community-based outpatient treatment teams, programs, agencies, and other applicable resources. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies, and may function as a liaison to the same. Possesses basic knowledge of Veteran benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, non-service connected pension, etc. Facilitates referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility. Works with high-risk patients, i.e. those with traumatic brain injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), chronically mentally ill, suicidal patients, as well as other chronic or acute mentally ill individuals. Demonstrates the ability to work with patients and families who are experiencing basic emotional, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group, and family counseling skills. Possesses knowledge of psychosocial treatment modalities and the demonstrate ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy and advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with polytrauma injuries. Possesses general knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of their individual social work practice. Demonstrates the ability to implement changes based on empirical findings. Serves on committees, councils, workgroups, and/or task forces. Provides consultation and guidance to colleagues, role models effective social work practice skills, teaches or provides orientation to less experienced social workers, develops innovations in practice interventions. Completes suicide risk assessments, assists Veterans in the development of Safety Plans. Responds to Veterans in crisis and coordinates with the Suicide Prevent Office as appropriate in the care of Veterans considered at risk for suicide. Provides social work coverage in other areas of the medical center including but not limited to APU, PACT, MVLC CLC and Inpatient Medical Unit as needed to facilitate the provision of professional Social Work services for Veterans served by the Sheridan VA Health Care System. Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attends all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, Social Work staff meetings, departmental/section staff meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) is necessary. Collaborates in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VHA and for Social Work Service. Refers cases for Protected Peer Review and Intensive Case Review. Participates in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed. Completes the continuing education hours need for maintaining Professional Licensure. Demonstrates professional behavior that conforms to VA regulations and policy, State and Federal laws, and ethical codes of appropriate professional social work accrediting organizations. Complies with the NASW Social Work Code of Ethics. Completes in a timely manner all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate. Presents outcome data and research at VA and regional or national scientific or professional meetings, as appropriate. Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 56988O, 569887O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Linda.Orchard@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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