Social Worker (BHIP) Mental Health Treatment Coordinator

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) — a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per 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 review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

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: Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: no person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. Chapters 73 or 74 to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education: Candidates must 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 in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree. Verify accreditation at cswe.org/Accreditation.
• 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 at vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. May qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard (only applicable to current VHA employees in this occupation who meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations (GS-11)

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, you must have the following:

• Experience: 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.

Must also be able to demonstrate the following 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, 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, visit va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements

All candidates must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Candidates must meet the physical requirements outlined in Section II and Section VI of the OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, and must possess emotional and mental stability. The job is sedentary but requires movement throughout the medical center.

Responsibilities

The Social Worker is assigned to the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) and provides mental health care coordination services for Veterans enrolled in the BHIP Clinic, as well as crisis intervention services available through the Same Day Access (SDA) Clinic. The incumbent provides clinical services to address issues related to mental illness and other complex/diverse psychosocial problems. Clinical interventions are typically provided in the SDA Clinic through individual counseling, family counseling, and case management for Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Working independently using educational training, clinical experience, VA policies, and JCAHO standards in administering direct services.
• Conducting intake and needs assessment of Veterans and their significant others.
• Identifying symptoms which may lead to clinical diagnoses of SMI and co-occurring disorders.
• Providing all necessary assessment functions — e.g., interviewing, psychosocial histories, and referrals to aid in the development of treatment plans.
• Assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members — identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.
• In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, facilitating the delivery of health care services.
• Identifying family/caregiver stressors, conducting assessment, and providing specific interventions.
• Case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services — incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Recovery-oriented treatment with the goal to support the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning and quality of life.
• Establishing and maintaining ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff — to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population.
• Addressing Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area.
• Participating in committee assignments, work groups, and task forces as deemed necessary by the Social Worker Supervisor and ACOS Mental Health Service.

Schedule

Work Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm. Telework: Ad hoc. This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 61245-F. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact visn9hredrp@va.gov (EDRP Coordinator) for questions/assistance.