The Kansas City VA is currently recruiting for Social Workers to fill position in our Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program. Positions are available for the Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) outpatient team and Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team. 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: Applicants 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 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 degree meets accreditation standards for a master of social work. License: Applicants must have a current and active license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Grade Determinations: GS-9 Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. 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. GS11 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. 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. 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: While performing the duties of this job, the incumbent is frequently required to stand, walk, and bend, climb stairs, and reach with hands and arms. The incumbent must have good manual dexterity and keyboarding skills. The incumbent must be able to communicate efficiently by expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. In addition the incumbent must be able to utilize, view, and read information on computer screens; operate a pager; and operate the required phone equipment. The individual must be able to operate a motor vehicle. Social worker duties include personal encounters with patients, visitors, and other employees. These individuals may experience crisis, may become volatile and require de-escalation techniques, as well as extreme patience. Psychologists are required to have excellent communication and interpersonal relationship skills to interact with individuals with a wide variety of medical and psychiatric conditions including handling potentially aggressive behavior. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent provides education and direct advice regarding symptoms of mental health diagnoses and alcohol and drug misuse to patients. This includes the development of an appropriate treatment plan for patients and the ability to communicate that plan. Provides social work consultation to the patient's caregiver, provider, and other stakeholders. This includes coordinating treatment and communicating with other services to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans. The incumbent develops community resources and coordinates these resources in the interest of the Veteran. The incumbent develops effective and strong relationships with community resources to ensure continuity of care and to promote successful transitions of services. Incumbent has advanced skills in community partnership building and is able to expertly represent KCVA. Provides direct therapeutic interventions including individual evidence based interventions, couples or family interventions, caregiver supportive interventions, group therapy, group psychoeducation, and case management. They provide recovery-oriented education to patients, family members, and significant others. Provides assessment services in consultation with team licensed psychologists and offers appropriate psychotherapeutic assessment techniques. The incumbent provides assessments services including of symptoms and to facilitate DSM-5 diagnostic clarifications in consultation with other professions in the team and medical center. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am to 430pm, with afterhours/weekend tour adjustments as needed for patient care, including weekend rotational on-call for inpatient psychiatry may be needed\nTelework: As needed only\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Social Worker/PD000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]