The Social Worker- Patient Aligned Care Team position that is assigned to the Montevideo Community Based Outpatient Clinic-Mental Health Service Line of the St. Cloud VA. The incumbent will also provide mental health services via telehealth to the St. Cloud, Brainerd Community Based Outpatient Clinic, and Alexandria Community Based Outpatient Clinic as needed. A recruitment/relocation incentive of $5,000 (pre-taxed) has been authorized for Eligible, highly qualified applicants. 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. 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. English 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 Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements .AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following 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 (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: Mental Health References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying up to 15 pounds to lift items such as books, binders, reports and records. ["The incumbent will be responsible to provide psychotherapy and mental health treatment coordination services to Veterans and their families assigned to the incumbent's caseload. The social worker provides individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy/counseling services to Veterans for issues related to mental health and behavioral issues, substance use disorders, and other complex and diverse psychosocial problems. The incumbent serves as a resource regarding social work services to other members of the assigned multi-disciplinary team and other health care providers in the Health Care System. The incumbent social worker will also be assigned to provide up to PACT social work services to Veterans and their families receiving Primary & Specialty Medicine care at the Montevideo CBOC, depending on clinic need. The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion, coordination and chronic disease management. The PACT social worker in this Veteran-Centric approach often functions as a care coordinator with a panel of Veterans to ensure that health care meets the needs, as defined by the Veteran. Social workers are uniquely prepared for this role by virtue of their education, training, and experience which prepares them to understand the person-in-situation and the influences that family and community have in impacting the health care needs of Veterans. SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:\nClinical mental health social work functions include the following tasks: Conduct behavioral health and mental health biopsychosocial assessments of Veterans Make Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnoses of Veterans Create comprehensive, recovery-focused behavioral health and mental health treatment plans for Veterans Complete suicide/homicide risk assessments and safety plans as required Provide clinically efficacious, evidence-based therapeutic services to include individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy/counseling services for Veterans Interview Veterans and their families to develop/complete psychosocial assessments utilizing knowledge of human development and behavior and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture Establish and maintain therapeutic alliances with Veterans and their families Analyze complex psychological problems Ability to understand mental health and medical diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology Coordinate with internal and external and ancillary mental health professionals to ensure appropriate transitions of care and that appropriate and necessary treatment is provided/offered to Veterans Develop and provide psychoeducational groups Learn to utilize assessment and documentation processes for integrated models of care, including determining the appropriate level of care for Veterans not in specialty mental health treatment. Educate and train other professionals and students in effective treatment modalities Establish/maintain expertise on VA services and benefits, and community resources Establish/maintain effective relationships with various Veteran agencies and coordinate care with appropriate community services Complete 24-hour Assessment Calls as assigned Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 0800-1630, evenings and weekends maybe required\nTelework: ADHOC-Telework may be approved for a portion of the week after initial training and orientation is complete. Will be communicated more during the interview process.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position-you must be within distance of the duty location.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: A recruitment/relocation incentive has been authorized for highly qualified applicants.\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]