Social Worker-Primary Care Mental Health Integration

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Utilize a Veteran-centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
• Assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.
• Implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals, utilizing supportive, problem-solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• Show fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology.
• Independently conduct psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds.
• 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.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.
• Possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds.
• Possess skills in using computer systems and the internet for Veterans who choose this modality to communicate.
• Serve on supervisor approved committees, work groups, and task forces at the local facility, VISN, or national level.
• Collaborate in performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for specific population/program.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete clinical records in accordance with professional practice and VA administration guidelines.
• Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with accreditation bodies such as CARF and Joint Commission, and VA health care systems policies and procedures.
• Participate in Social Work Professional Practice Evaluation processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned and can, at times, assist other incumbents or perform special assignments to meet the needs of the healthcare system.
• May be assigned to other areas of need in the health care system, as determined necessary by the direct supervisor and/or the Integrated Care Community (ICC) Director in consultation with the Social Work Executive.
• Specialized functions include assessment, psychoeducation, psychotherapy, and consultation; case management is typically not a function of the PCMHI Social Worker role, but could be a specific special assignment.
• Contact patients through written correspondence and telephone calls and conduct follow-up interviews.
• Create and maintain forms, surveys, instruments, and materials for proper coordination.
• Provide psychoeducation and direction regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alcohol misuse to patients, developing an appropriate treatment plan for patients and communicating that plan to the patient's provider.
• Specialize in staff development and patient education around mental health treatment.
• As an LIP, the social worker may provide services along the entire mental health continuum of care.
• Work schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
• Work schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
• Work schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
• Work schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.

  Qualifications

  • Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship, English Language Proficiency, Education Requirement, License Requirement.
  • Education Requirement: 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 Requirement: Licensure, 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.
  • Grade Determinations: GS-9 (Entry Level): Experience and Licensure, GS-11 (Full Performance Level): Experience and Licensure.
  • 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; 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; implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals, utilizing supportive, problem-solving, or crisis intervention techniques; establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies; show fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology; independently conduct psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds; 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; possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds; possess skills in using computer systems and the internet for Veterans who choose this modality to communicate; serve on supervisor approved committees, work groups, and task forces at the local facility, VISN, or national level; collaborate in performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for specific population/program; maintain accurate, timely, and complete clinical records in accordance with professional practice and VA administration guidelines; maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with accreditation bodies such as CARF and Joint Commission, and VA health care systems policies and procedures; participate in Social Work Professional Practice Evaluation processes; perform other duties as assigned and can, at times, assist other incumbents or perform special assignments to meet the needs of the healthcare system; may be assigned to other areas of need in the health care system, as determined necessary by the direct supervisor and/or the Integrated Care Community (ICC) Director in consultation with the Social Work Executive; specialized functions include assessment, psychoeducation, psychotherapy, and consultation; case management is typically not a function of the PCMHI Social Worker role, but could be a specific special assignment; contact patients through written correspondence and telephone calls and conduct follow-up interviews; create and maintain forms, surveys, instruments, and materials for proper coordination; provide psychoeducation and direction regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alcohol misuse to patients, developing an appropriate treatment plan for patients and communicating that plan to the patient's provider; specialize in staff development and patient education around mental health treatment; as an LIP, the social worker may provide services along the entire mental health continuum of care.
  • References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/Preferred Experience: Previous Mental Health Experience, Previous Care Coordination Experience.
  • Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position.
  • Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
  • VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU
  • Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
  • The PC-MHI Social Worker is assigned to the StCloud VA Health Care System MH ICC.
  • The incumbent is an integral part of the overall VHA health care program as part of the health care service delivery to Veterans and their families.
  • The incumbent provides integrated care to the Primary Care Service Line to assist in the delivery of evidence-based care for primary care patients identified with a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol misuse.
  • Social work services provide case management, resource linkage, clinical and crisis interventions to Veterans and their families in resolving the psychosocial, emotional, and economic problems associated with the stresses of illness.
  • CLINICIAL FUNCTIONS:
  • A Conducting behavioral health and mental health biopsychosocial assessments.
  • B Making sound professional judgments regarding clinical impressions, treatment approaches, and treatment planning.
  • C Coordinating with internal and external professionals to ensure appropriate transitions of care and appropriate/necessary treatment is provided/offered to Veterans.
  • D Establishing and maintaining knowledge of VA and Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies.
  • E Providing advocacy to overcome potential barriers to access care/services and when it is in the best interests of the Veteran.
  • F Provides goals of care discussions, as well as education and assist in the completion of Advance Directives, Organ-Tissue-and Eye Donation release of information forms, and Guardianship documentation.
  • G Assessing for signs and symptoms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
  • H Conducting practice in accordance with the VA and discipline-specific ethical requirements and practices within the limits of current licensure or certification.
  • I Completing on-call duties, as assigned and per policy, which may include transportation of a Veteran.
  • ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS:
  • A Possesses and demonstrates ability to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds.
  • B Possesses skills in using computer systems and the internet for Veterans who choose this modality to communicate.
  • C Serves on supervisor approved committees, work groups, and task forces at the local facility, VISN, or national level.
  • D Collaborates in performance improvement processes and complies with performance measures as required by the VA for specific population/program.
  • E Maintains accurate, timely, and complete clinical records in accordance with professional practice and VA administration guidelines.
  • F Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with accreditation bodies such as CARF and Joint Commission, and VA health care systems policies and procedures.
  • G Participates in Social Work Professional Practice Evaluation processes.
  • H Performs other duties as assigned and can, at times, assist other incumbents or perform special assignments to meet the needs of the healthcare system.
  • I May be assigned to other areas of need in the health care system, as determined necessary by the direct supervisor and/or the Integrated Care Community (ICC) Director in consultation with the Social Work Executive.
  • ROLE-SPECIFIC TASKS:
  • A Primary functions of the role include assessment, psychoeducation, psychotherapy, and consultation.
  • B Case management is typically not a function of the PCMHI Social Worker role, but could be a specific special assignment.
  • C Contacts patients through written correspondence and telephone calls and conducts follow-up interviews.
  • D Creates and maintains forms, surveys, instruments, and materials for proper coordination.
  • E Provides psychoeducation and direction regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alcohol misuse to patients, developing an appropriate treatment plan for patients and communicating that plan to the patient's provider.
  • F Specializes in staff development and patient education around mental health treatment.
  • G As an LIP, the social worker may provide services along the entire mental health continuum of care.
  • Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
  • Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
  • Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.
  • EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
  • Contact VHAVISN23EDRP@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
  • Learn more.
  • Telework: Not Available.
  • Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.