Summary

The Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program (MHICM) Social Worker duties and responsibilities are centered on provision of psychosocial rehabilitation and intensive case management services to Veterans with chronic mental illness who are enrolled in the MHICM program.

Qualifications

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: Must be proficient in written or spoken English
• 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
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Please see the Additional Information Section of this announcement for details
• Preferred Experience: Experience with making home visits (1-2 years)
• Experience with and understanding of community resources (2-3 years)
• Experience with providing services to persons diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
• Experience with and completing mental health treatment plans - suicide risk assessments and other mental health assessments
• Experience with electronic documentation and familiarity with Microsoft Systems
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met for each grade level
• GS-09: None beyond the basic requirements
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• (e) 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 - 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
• ?In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) 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
• (e) 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
• Reference can be found at the VA Qualification Repository - VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) GS-0185 - Social Worker Qualification Standard - dated 9/10/2019
• 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: The work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses - and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The Social Worker MHICM should possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures including acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses - common medications and their side effects - and medical terminology
• They are responsible for: -Clinical Functions: Social work case management and practice - which includes psychosocial assessment - diagnosis - and treatment focused on helping veterans and their families maximize their potential to maintain independent living Assessing and treating veterans who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and psychosocial problems Establishing and maintaining effective therapeutic relationships with veterans in the MHICM program and their families Completing thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of veterans and their families - utilizing the assessment in facilitating Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence possible and practicable Actively collaborating with interdisciplinary treatment team and Veterans and their family in development and implementation of individualized resident-centered treatment plan focusing on strengthening Veteran's ability to address acute and chronic problems which may have resulted in past history of readmissions to the Medical Center Facilitating continuity of care by collaborating and providing consultation with referring interdisciplinary treatment team to promote appropriate treatment and rehabilitation in discharge planning Serving as liaison between Veterans and or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services Operating a government vehicle for community home visits and outreach activities - requiring a current - valid - unrestricted driver's license -Administrative Functions: Serving on committees - work groups - and/or task force as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and Chief of Mental Health Service Keeping appropriate supervisors apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the area of responsibility Furthering professional growth through continuing education appropriate for the area of assignment Providing assistance with orientation and development of less experienced Social Workers and - if interested - serving as a preceptor for Social Work students Communicating effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds Maintaining a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and with standards for Social Work - Joint Commission - CARF - VA - and the facility Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay - higher or unique qualifications - or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: Social Worker (Mental Health Intensive Case Manager)Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This is a bargaining unit position.