Social Worker

Major Duties

• Develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the Veteran, family members, significant others, and the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Develop the treatment plan and set achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family.
• Provide appropriate evidence-based treatment for a variety of mental health disorders.
• Throughout the course of treatment, act as the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources.
• Enhance the content of the VA and community social service programs to benefit Veterans.
• Educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate on their own behalf, fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.
• Making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs.
• Provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, and Advance Directives/Living Wills, and refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.
• Review progress notes from other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for mental health services.
• Provide evidence-based psychotherapies designed to address mental health concerns stemming from the psychosocial impact of military experiences, traumatic events, transition difficulties, coping with chronic/disabling illness(es), onset of catastrophic illnesses, etc.
• Enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates.

Qualifications

Health Professional Trainee (HPT) 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.

• 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).
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• Grandfathering Provision: 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.

Grade Determinations

• GS-9
• Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors; 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 (i.e. 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.
• 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: 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, educational, and other 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.