Social Worker (PACT)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with 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 complete review of the EDRP application.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the Primary Care Clinic and/or their families.
• Independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, financial, legal and psychosocial problems.
• Complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families.
• Participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and collaborate with Veterans and family members to develop and implement treatment goals and interventions.
• Possess a working knowledge and experience in medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures.
• Facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families, and interdisciplinary treatment team members, to ensure appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner.
• Understand caregiver stressors, conduct caregiver assessments, and provide appropriate interventions.
• Implement treatment modalities and evidence-based practices, provide educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families, including shared medical appointments.
• Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs, and Advance Directives.
• Consult with other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of identified psychosocial problems on Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment.
• Maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and referral processes to other governmental programs or agencies.
• Provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the PACT team approach and the role of each health and allied health care team members as well as an understanding of the role of the social worker in the PACT model.
• Knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures.
• Knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities and evidence-based practices as well as provide educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families, including shared medical appointments.
• Knowledge and ability to provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs, and Advance Directives.
• Knowledge and ability to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care.
• Knowledge and ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

Skills

• Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the Primary Care Clinic and/or their families.
• Independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, financial, legal and psychosocial problems.
• Complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families.
• Participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and collaborate with Veterans and family members to develop and implement treatment goals and interventions.
• Possess a working knowledge and experience in medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures.
• Facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families, and interdisciplinary treatment team members, to ensure appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner.
• Understand caregiver stressors, conduct caregiver assessments, and provide appropriate interventions.
• Implement treatment modalities and evidence-based practices, provide educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families, including shared medical appointments.
• Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs, and Advance Directives.
• Consult with other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of identified psychosocial problems on Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment.
• Maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and referral processes to other governmental programs or agencies.
• Provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• 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.
• Telework: Ad-hoc only.
• Functional Statement #: 00000.

Pay

Schedule

Benefits

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.
• 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. Verification 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 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.
• 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-9
• Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
• (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 goals. This 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 procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology.
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-11
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.