Job Description
Summary
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with 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 complete review of the EDRP application.
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:
- 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 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
- 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
- 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
- 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
- Social Worker - GS-9 (Entry Level) Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
- Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): 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 (Full Performance Level) 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 (KSAs): 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 - 8 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
- Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
- Preferred Experience: Clinical experience - preferably crisis work/suicide prevention 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 Handbook 5019
Duties
- VA Careers - Social Work: Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Major duties include but are not limited to: Conducts VA-approved screenings and evaluations of Veterans when identified as being in crisis or at risk for hurting self or others
- When assessing Veterans for admission to the Behavioral Health Clinic (BHC) - the incumbent uses the established biopsychosocial admissions criteria to determine the appropriateness of Veterans referred to the BHC for service in the different treatment components with special emphasis on crisis intervention
- While the patient is in treatment - the Suicide Prevention Case Manager (SPCM) continues to reassess and monitor the status of problematic behaviors
- routinely evaluates the impact that therapeutic interventions have on patient problems
- assesses patients' progress toward meeting treatment goals and objectives
- and determines the need for additional assessment of specific problem areas
- Provides treatment with a special emphasis on crisis intervention and stabilization
- When providing treatment - the incumbent relies on own clinical judgment to address patient problems in a fashion that is consistent with the knowledge and skills of other professional staff with master's level training
- May conduct psychotherapy for patients with substance abuse problems - mental health problems - or co-morbid conditions
- Provides crisis intervention and stabilization to patients and significant others
- Crisis intervention requires the incumbent to function with a high degree of independent judgment in responding appropriately and quickly to unique needs/dangers in crisis situations
- He/she will keep abreast of new treatment techniques and evidence-based practices
- Documents patients' responses to treatment in a manner that facilitates the use of this information by other members of the interdisciplinary team
- Manages and monitors services for Veterans designated as high risk for suicide throughout the medical center - including community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) and community agencies - and acts as the transitional case manager of care for these Veterans
- Takes a supportive role in the administrative/clinical functions of the program such as quality assurance - policy and procedure development - program planning - and preparation of reports
- Actively participates in BHC committees
- provides training to Medical Center and BHC staff through patient review conferences - BHC in-service programs - and medical education presentations
- keeps abreast of new developments in the field of behavioral health
- and maintains accurate records and data needed for local and national reports
- Outreach activities are performed independently and in settings in which there is a significant lack of normal supervisory controls over his/her performance
- Performs other duties as assigned
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:30am - 5:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
- Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
- Learn more Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Recruitment and Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
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