Social Worker (HUD VASH) - Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing

Summary 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) & 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 ineligible to apply. 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: Be a citizen of the Unites StatesNon-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA PolicyEducation: 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 accreditedA doctoral degree in social work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social workVerification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social workLicensurePersons 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 levelCurrent state requirements may be found by going tohttp://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 examinationsThis exception only applies at the GS-9 grade levelFor the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certifiedAt 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 deadlineEnglish Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.7403(f)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-9 (Entry Level) (1) Experience - Education - and LicensureNone beyond the basic requirements(2) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and AbilitiesIn addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members(b) 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(c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goalsThis requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive - problem solving - or crisis intervention techniques(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies(e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment proceduresThis includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuriescommon medications and their effects/side effectsand medical terminologySocial Worker - GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (1) Experience and LicensureAppointment 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 levelOR (2) EducationIn 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(3) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and AbilitiesIn addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services(b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds(c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures (i.eacute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan(d) 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(e) 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 treatmentReference: Former VA Handbook Reference: Part II Appendix G39 Effective Date 9/10/2019For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services. Duties Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Social Worker is located in the Social Work Service Line at the Athens VA Clinic - Athens - GeorgiaThe Incumbent may be assigned to a variety of clinical programs with a wide range of outpatient activitiesSocial Worker duties include but not limited: GS11: Performs case finding functions - outreach - discharge planning - identifying - and screening patients for psychosocial needs - mental health - alcohol - tobacco - and substance use disordersConducts psychosocial assessments and facilitates discharge plans conducive to the needs of the Veteran and familyCoordinates community-based services including community residential care - assisted living - and community nursing home placement for vulnerable Veterans - including information and referral for additional services from VA programsother government programs and community agency programsIdentifies high-risk patients and provides case management servicesProvides crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint - coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family membersProvides crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint - coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family membersWorks with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and social problems utilizing individual - group and family counseling and therapy skillsEstablishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their familiesPerforms accountability functions: 1) document all contacts with patients/families in the electronic medical record: 2) completes statistical and other reports in accordance with - VISN and Medical Center and service policiesProvides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to a treatment planAbility to evaluate incumbents' own practice through professional peer review - case conferences and other organizational meansGS-09: Works under supervisionConducts psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgroundsWorks with patients and families who are experiencing basic emotional - medical - and social problems utilizing individual - group - and family counseling skillsWork with more complex problems are completed under close supervisionAssess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members - and to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the patient's problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance neededEstablishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients - staff - and representatives of community agenciesCommunicates effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgroundsServes on committees - councils - workgroups - and/or task forcesServes as liaison to community agencies and networks with agency representativesObtains and/or participates in continuing educationWork Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm - Monday - FridayTelework: Not AvailableVirtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: 62309F - 62310F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not AuthorizedEDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentiveContact LaKita.Bush@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistanceLearn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.