Social Worker- Caregiver Support Program

About the role

Provides professional-dependent social work services in the Caregiver Support Program Social Work position under the guidance and direction of an independent licensed provider. As a dependently licensed social worker, the incumbent assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, challenges, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity under the supervision of a more senior social worker.

Duties

• Works with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, education, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• Assesses the biopsychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and family members and formulates and implements a treatment plan identifying a Veteran's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed
• Implements treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgement and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships and communicates with Veterans, staff, and representatives of community agencies
• Utilizes a fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and the effects/side effects, and medical terminology
• Other duties as assigned

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
• 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
• 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker

Qualifications

Social Worker - 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. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology

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
• 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

Preferred Experience

• Preferred experience with community outreach and conducting group support groups or educational groups
• Required to be able to drive GSA

Physical Requirements

• Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies
• Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• This position requires a valid state driver's license and local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans
• The position requires significant travel in the community, using a government vehicle or other individual arrangements, to meet with representatives/stakeholders who aid and support Veterans in Medical Centers, Community Clinics, etc
• 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

Schedule

• Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
• Telework: Situational (Ad Hoc)
• This is not a virtual position

Pay and Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off 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)