Career Center

Summary

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. Program 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.

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
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 4 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/
• Grade Determinations GS-12 Supervisory Social Worker: Education and Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment
• Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship - or equivalent supervised professional experience
• Licensure/Certification
• Individuals assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to independently organize work - set priorities - and meet multiple deadlines
• Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments and quality improvement
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services
• Ability to provide staff training and development
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees - team leaders - and managers
• Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• At the GS-12 grade level - supervisory social workers typically have significant personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate sized professional and non-professional staff - including support staff and professional staff at the GS-12 grade level and below
• The supervisory social worker is responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service - in a care/product line - or multiple facilities
• They provide direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities
• 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)
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking - sitting - talking - driving - use of the telephone - etc
• Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their day-to-day activities
• There is ongoing exposure to individuals having psychiatric and physical illness and disabilities
• These include violent or aggressive behavior and chronic psychiatric and medical problems
• Light lifting - under 15 pounds - Light carrying - Under 15 pounds - hearing (aid permitted).

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 Duties include but not limited to: Advance practice level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans - family members and caregivers in the Primary Care Clinic
• Able to work independently with Veterans and family members experiencing a wide range of complicated medical - psychiatric - emotional - behavioral - financial - legal and other psychosocial problems
• Effective social work in the PACT context often occurs over a series of several visits
• Must independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members
• Able to assess functional acuity of the patient and provide appropriate interventions
• Must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence possible
• Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as team members in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions
• Possess and facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and family members as well as team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner
• Community placements can involve but are not limited to referrals to group and family care homes - assisted living facilities - Adult Day Health Care programs - Contract Nursing homes - Community Living Centers - Residential Care homes - Inpatient and Outpatient hospice services
• Serve as a liaison between Veterans - Family members and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services
• Must possess knowledge and ability at the advance practice level to independently implement treatment modalities and evidence-based practices - provide educational classes - and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families - including shared medical appointments
• The Social Worker must be able to use and teach Veterans in the effective use of My HealtheVet (MHV) system
• Must possess skill in using computer systems - especially for the internet for Veterans who choose this modality to communicate with the team
• Provide consultation and education to Veterans and family members regarding community resources - VA benefits - Specialty programs and Advance Directives
• This includes knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs - and community programs
• Must be available to provide consultation to other treatment teams and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of the Veteran and/or families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment
• Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday
• Work Schedule may be subject to change based on agency needs
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of 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: AD-HOC
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #:62069FPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized