Social Worker- Readjustment Counselor

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

• Citizenship: United States Citizenship is required. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in basic written and spoken English is required to perform the duties of this position.
• Education:
  • 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 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 the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of Social Work.
• Licensure:
  • Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
  • For the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must be licensed or certified.
  • 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 (GS-11):
  • Experience and Licensure: 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: 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 and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
    • 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 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.
• Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation.

Duties

NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker, Psychologist, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, and Marriage & Family Therapist. Each discipline is announced separately, and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified.

The incumbent will be responsible for providing services to eligible individuals who are experiencing a variety of military-related psychological and psychosocial problems. Incumbents must possess the knowledge and experience to independently implement psychotherapeutic modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to enhance the readjustment of Veterans, active duty Service members, and their families.

• Intake Screening and Assessment: Complete all readjustment counseling intake procedures, including an assessment of risk for self-harm, military history and military-related psychosocial stressors, and assess family readjustment stressors and document identified behaviors or symptoms.
• Readjustment Counseling Goal Setting and Service Planning: Develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions, including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes.
• Direct Readjustment Counseling Service Provision: Incorporate complex multiple causation in differential psychosocial assessment and direct service delivery to eligible Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnostic inferences within the clinical scope of practice.
• Risk Assessment and Crisis Intervention: Conduct timely assessment of Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety planning as appropriate.
• Care Coordination: Link the Veteran with other community services, resources, and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being.
• Coordinating Readjustment Counseling and Outreach: Maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services for those individuals engaged in the community at outreach events that may require follow-up readjustment counseling.
• Team Cohesion and Coordination: Actively participate in staff meetings designed to promote team building and staff development.
• Documentation/Administrative Responsibilities/Consultation: Document all clinical interactions with eligible individuals and episodes of care coordination on their behalf as required by policy.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework

Available on an ad hoc basis

Additional Information

• Virtual Position: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 150670
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator, for questions/assistance.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
• Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized