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:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
• 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 tohttp://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
• 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 (within three years) and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-9: Experience/Education/Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSA's: Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• 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: Candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSA's: 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience working within a complex healthcare setting
• 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-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: Must be in overall good health
• Social Worker must be able to perform light and sedentary duties including sitting at a desk working at a computer
• Must be able to occasionally perform light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying office supplies
• Social Worker must be able to exercise patience and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation - if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• A level of self-awareness is essential
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing
• viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Incumbent will serve as The Caregiver Support Program Clinical Social Worker whose primary responsibilities will be to provide clinical evidence-based services and interventions
• provide caregiver - Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues
• engage in community outreach and resource development
• continuous quality improvement
• activities - and evaluation/consultation
• The Social Worker works closely with the Caregiver Support Program Coordinator and/or designee to complete program required home visits - telephone contacts - wellness visits - Veteran and Caregiver assessments - annual evaluations - and respond to Caregiver Support Line calls
• The Social Worker will function in support of caregivers - Veterans and family members throughout the Medical Center and in the community and support the development and implementation of caregiver services
• This includes implementing education - wellness - and support groups
• The incumbent must be a skilled communicator capable of developing positive - effective relationships with Veterans - caregivers - local - state and federal agencies - as well as non-governmental organizations
• Duties included but are not limited to: The Caregiver Support Program Social Worker assists in the day-to-day operations of the Caregiver Support Program specific to his/her area of assignment and ensures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives
• This includes (with supervision) completing tasks in the Caregiver Support Program IT system - called CARMA
• These tasks include - but are not limited to - institutionalization tracking tasks - address notifications - and rework tasks
• The Social Worker participates with supervision in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions
• Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues
• Creates educational tools - develops programs and implements training focused on specific caregiver needs/issues
• Provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees - Veterans - families - and caregivers
• Develops and facilitates caregiver support groups (face-to-face or VANTS telephone line) and educational programs
• Distributes educational materials provided by VA - local - state - and national caregiver organizations
• The incumbent serves as a consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes caregivers - Veterans and families encounter when interacting with government and community agencies
• The Social Worker - in collaboration with other clinical staff and program managers - will establish a caregiver support protocol ( resources - education - and training) sensitive to the issue of the caregivers who are providing care to our youngest returning Veterans
• Develops and fosters relationships with community partners to assist with system navigation - maintain collaboration and coordinate services
• Work Schedule: Full-time - Monday - Friday - 8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact David Billingsley at David.Billingsleyjr@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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) 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) Functional Statement #: 635-52505-A - 635-52506-A