Summary

The Spinal Cord Injury/Rehab-CLC social worker is a full time position aligned under the Mental Health ICC of the Syracuse VAMC. The Incumbent will be assigned 50% of the time in support of the SCI/Rehab Service (inpatient and outpatient) and 50% within the Community Living Center (CLC).The SCI/Rehab-CLC social worker may also provide adjunctive interventions in the domain of behavioral medicine.

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
• 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 3 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
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - GS-09: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Grade Determinations: GS-09 - The entry level grade and would be for social workers that are new graduates - those that have less than one year experience and are not licensed/certified - or social workers with experience but not licensed to practice at the independent practice level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities for the grade level are as follows: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socio-economic - 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 Veteran problems - strengths - weaknesses\s - copying skills and assistance needed
• Knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) - and the differential influences of the environment - society - and culture
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals
• This requires judgment and skills 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
• Grade Determinations for Social Worker - 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• 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 AND 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 - 7 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: Preferred candidates will have clinical experience caring for individuals with spinal cord injuries and familiarity with managing complex medical needs on inpatient Community Living Center (CLC) floors
• Candidates with a demonstrated ability to work with interdisciplinary teams and navigate the unique challenges of these populations are especially valued
• 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-09 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing - walking - bending - twisting - and carrying light items
• Note: This position may be filled by a Psychologist - Social Worker or Licensed Mental Health Professional (LPMHC)
• These three positions are advertised separately on USAJobs
• If you are a Psychologist and you are interested in applying - please apply here vacancy 12945473
• If you are a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor and are interested in applying - please apply here vacancy 12945745.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The Spinal Cord Injury /Rehab-CLC social worker is considered a member of the SCI/Rehab and CLC medical teams and will participate in staff meetings - discussion of program development and support for the interdisciplinary teams
• The SCI/Rehab-CLC social worker may provide services by way of telehealth and/or telephone - in addition to face to face interventions and development of support groups
• The SCI/Rehab-CLC social worker will be expected to provide direct services in a range of settings including the inpatient acute care units - hospice designated beds - outpatient clinics - as well as outpatient mental health clinic locations
• Lists the major duties and responsibilities of the position: Spinal Cord Injury / Rehab-CLC Social Worker Performs evaluations for patient conditions that include depression - anxiety - substance abuse and general emotional and cognitive functioning
• The assessment and care provided are matched to the cognitive - emotional - chronological maturation - and diverse needs of the person served
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions with a strong emphasis on evidence-based models of care
• Provides suicide screening and crisis management services
• Conducts assessment appropriate to individual patient with attention to a veteran's every day - real-world function and successful treatment/management of health problems with an emphasis on behavioral health factors
• Provides group - individual - and family psychotherapy and counseling to veterans and family members
• Provides psychoeducation to patients and family members to support healthcare adherence
• Works with Interdisciplinary teams and participates in regular meetings
• Provides services in traditional clinical setting and by utilizing telecommunication technology to provide services to patients who do not have access specialty care
• Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues(
• Provide empirically validated treatments as well as motivational enhancement interventions - environmental interventions - psycho-educational interventions - and crisis interventions Provides consultation services to support team decision-making and building on physician and healthcare team interventions and improving team-patient working relationships
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: As determined by facility Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized