Summary

The Incumbent is a professional social worker and provides social work services to combat and non-combat post 9/11 Veterans - severely injured Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/Operation New Dawn (OND) service members and Veterans treated at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

Qualifications

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:

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9) - as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - enacted November 1 - 2000
• To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: a
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• b
• 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
• c
• 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
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.] (a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level - VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam - and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record
• (c) Different states have different levels of licensure or certification - making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level
• Each state - Puerto Rico - and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice
• Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services - and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social worker's level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards
• All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB
• Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/
• The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work
• ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work
• The ASWB offers three examinations
• The master's examination is generally used by states for the independent practice level of licensure or certification - while the advanced generalist and the clinical examinations are used for the advanced practice level of licensure or certification
• Differences between the master's and the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers will have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application
• Failure to Obtain License or Certification
• In all cases - social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment
• Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• 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)
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker - GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• 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 (Qualifications located under Education) Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/50 - Part II - APPENDIX G39
• SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD dated September 10 - 2019
• For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: The work of the social worker is community based with moderate physical activity
• The incumbent must be able to operate a government vehicle several hours each day - walk up to a mile at a time - climb 2 to 3 flights of stairs at a time - and lift small objects
• The incumbent must be capable of using a computer given all clinical charting is electronic.

Duties

• Duties may include but are not limited to: The Social Work Case Manager is clinical practitioner who evaluates psychosocial needs and applies social work interventions - case management - clinical screenings - VA education - supportive counseling - advocacy - crisis intervention - education - advocacy - outreach - treatment planning - and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and/or agencies as needed by the Veteran
• Screening/Assessment: Evaluates the Veteran's situation - abilities - and capabilities - and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of a wide range of complicated mental - emotional - behavioral - physical - psychosocial - and environmental problems
• Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary plan - involving the Veteran and family or significant others - and performs an insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness which may also include - catastrophic medical condition - dementia - traumatic brain injuries - and other high risks diagnoses
• Consult Management: The Social Work Case Manager receives and completes consults requesting services from interdisciplinary team members and from other mental health professional on complex - difficult cases - using clinical practice skills and expertise in collaboration with supervision
• May also provide consultation to interdisciplinary team members and is responsible for development and maintenance of professional standards of practice and educating others about them
• Case Management Planning/Goal Setting: Works closely with the Service member/Veteran - to develop a mutually agreed upon case management plan - which will build on the analysis of information gathered in the assessment and the strengths and perceived barriers identified by the Veteran
• Will work with the Veteran to develop goals and objectives that are specific - measurable - realistic and time limited
• Referral to Service Providers: Throughout the course of treatment the incumbent is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources
• The Social Work Case Manager will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs
• Responsible for ensuring community providers are educated on the available services/resources and assisting the Veterans in connecting them with the appropriate referrals based on the preference expressed by the Veteran - or that of his surrogate decision-maker
• Crisis Intervention: Is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs
• Has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis
• Supportive Counseling/Case Management: Will provide the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling
• The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with the challenges of transitioning from active duty and any medical - mental health and/or psychosocial stressors
• Advocacy: As many of these Veterans suffer from multiple complex health and mental health problems - including traumatic brain injury (TBI) - amputations - burns - combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - this position is dedicated to ensuring severely injured Service Members and Veterans have a personal advocate as they move through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized