The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) is one of the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) most rapidly growing service areas, as a result of infrastructure modernization, programming innovation, and expansion of population-served by the Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) under MISSION Act. CSP expansion puts the VHA out front of the healthcare industry as a healthcare system pioneer-caring for the caregiver. 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. 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. SEE VA Handbook 5005 APX G-39 for more specific details on requirements. 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). SEE VA Handbook 5005 APX G-39 for more specific details on requirements. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (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. Social Worker, GS-11 (1) 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 (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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 VA Qualification Standard, Social Worker, GS-0185 Series, http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf.This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The position involves work that is mainly sedentary but requires some bending, walking, standing and lifting/carrying (under 15lb) of supplies, patient records, staff and patient mail. Some assignments may involve more frequent walking, but these assignments may involve more frequent walking, but these assignments require no unusual physical demands to perform work. The incumbent will need to have the ability to verbally communicate and hear (aid permitted) using a telephone and must be able to type and operate computer equipment as an essential part of their position. The incumbent must be able to work closely with internal and external customers in a face to face setting. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a patient care setting; adequately lighted, temperature controlled, and ventilated. Office temperatures fluctuate periodically; involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics, offices, meeting and training rooms or libraries; exposure to noise and dust on occasion. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. ["CRITICAL Shortage LIST OIG: 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference to external applicants for appointments made during the fiscal year to hybrid title 38 occupations among those reported to have the largest staffing shortages. Appointments to any other hybrid title 38 occupations not approved by the Secretary, as noted below in paragraph 7, remain subject to the application of Veterans' preference in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part I, Chapter 4, Preference to Veterans in Making Hybrid Title 38 Appointments. (AOC) for Referrals: 1st consideration: Current Facility VA employees, 2nd Consideration: All others based on OIG Hard to recruit and retain list FY 2023. After comparing the OIG report and VHA workforce planning cycle findings, VHA requested and received approval from the Secretary to waive Veterans' preference for 12 hybrid title 38 occupations for FY 2023. The provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 7412 do not supersede the terms of local/national labor master agreements. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The GS-11 Caregiver Support Program Social Worker is assigned to the Caregiver Support Program with primary responsibilities to provide clinical evidence-based services and interventions; provide caregiver, Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues; engage in community outreach and resource development; continuous quality-improvement activities, and evaluation/consultation. The Social Worker works closely with the Caregiver Support Program Coordinator and/or designee to complete program required home visits, telephone contacts, assessments, annual evaluations, and respond to Caregiver Hotline calls. The Social Worker will function in support of caregivers, Veterans and family members throughout the Medical Center and in the community and support the development and implementation of caregiver services. This includes implementing education, wellness, and support groups. The incumbent must be a skilled communicator capable of developing positive, effective relationships with Veterans, caregivers, local, state and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations. The Social Worker participates in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions. Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues. Creates educational tools, develops programs and implements training focused on specific caregiver needs/issues. Provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees, Veterans, families and caregivers. Provides ongoing consultation and support to colleagues regarding caregiver support. Develops and facilitates caregiver support groups (face-to-face or VANTS telephone line) and educational programs. Distributes educational materials provided by VA, local, state and national caregiver organizations. The Social Worker conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress, psychiatric illness, emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues. Professional judgment, including the knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior, is an inherent competency applied in daily interactions with caregivers and the Veterans they care for. He/she is involved in responding to calls from the National Caregiver Support Hotlines, responding to other phone calls and general inquiries regarding the Caregiver program, and assist with general tasks associated with the program. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The position involves work that is mainly sedentary but requires some bending, walking, standing and lifting/carrying (under 15lb) of supplies, patient records, staff and patient mail. Some assignments may involve more frequent walking, but these assignments may involve more frequent walking, but these assignments require no unusual physical demands to perform work. The incumbent will need to have the ability to verbally communicate and hear (aid permitted) using a telephone and must be able to type and operate computer equipment as an essential part of their position. The incumbent must be able to work closely with internal and external customers in a face to face setting. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a patient care setting; adequately lighted, temperature controlled, and ventilated. Office temperatures fluctuate periodically; involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics, offices, meeting and training rooms or libraries; exposure to noise and dust on occasion. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures."]

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