Career Center

This Social Worker is assigned to the Mental Health Service (MHS) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Outpatient (POC) Clinic at VA Puget Sound Health Care System located at the American Lake VA Campus in Washington with responsibility to provide direct services for Veterans, their families and caregivers. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Earned 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. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). 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/ (COPY OF LICENSE IS REQUIRED FOR GS-11). 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. 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: GS-9 Social Worker (Entry Level): Experience, Education, and Licensure: The entry level is used for Social Workers with less than one year of post-master's degree experience or for Social Workers who are graduates, not yet licensed at the independent practice level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 5. 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. GS-11 Licensed Independent Social Worker (Full Performance Level): Experience, Education and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) OR, In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) below: 1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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: Independent practice license, experience in the evidenced-based treatments for PTSD to include Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and/or Written Exposure Therapy (WET). References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, September 10, 2019 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 (under 15 lbs.), walking, operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle, hearing (aid permitted), and sitting for long periods. Environmental factors include working closely with others and working alone. ["Duties include, but are not limited to: Independently provides a full range of services within the Social Work scope of practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level, and preferences for care. Independently provides mental health and psychosocial assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of mental health issues. Independently provides education to patients and family members regarding mental health disorders and best practice approaches to treatment. Provides consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources, Advance Care Planning, VA benefits, budgeting, activities of daily living, and recovery goals. Provides evidenced based psychotherapeutic interventions as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker, which may include individual, family and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation. Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plan for patients to ensure that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the Medical Center. Takes a lead clinical role in consultation. Independently develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker. Independently provides specialized assessment and treatment (individual therapy, group therapy, and psychoeducation) for Veterans with PTSD. Consults with other disciplines and clinics regarding specialized PTSD services. Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community agencies. Possesses general knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services related to special programs, service connected compensation, and non-service connected pension. Able to fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans, colleagues, and VA in accordance with NASW Code of Ethics, VHA Code of Ethics, and local ethics policies. Develops working relationships with the community and VA providers to whom referrals are most often made and becomes knowledgeable with what community and VA resources are available to Veterans. Refers Veterans to a wide variety of VA and community resources. Documents all Veteran care in the electronic health record in accordance with facility policy, VHA Directive, and program-specific SOPs. Takes responsibility for improving professional competencies by participating in training programs and continuing education. Maintains accurate records of trainings in accordance with VA policies and state licensure requirements. Evaluates own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, and other means. Assists supervisor and/or program director in the design, development, and implementation of programming. Adheres to all facility and service line policies and practices for delivery of clinical care, including but not limited to risk assessment, means reduction, professional conduct requirements, and electronic medical record conventions. Maintains familiarity and responsibility for all behavioral health performance measures. Assists in development and maintenance of operational plans and strategic goals related to these measures. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by facility or service line leadership (or their designee). Maintains current knowledge of, and practices in accordance with, accrediting agency requirements. Assists program leadership in accreditation preparation and continuous readiness activities as requested. Actively participates in facility committees relevant to PTSD specialty care. Provides supervision to social work interns/trainees as requested. Provides training, education, and consultation to trainees, VA staff, and community partners related to PTSD and other specialized practice areas. Work Schedule: 8AM - 4:30PM, Monday - Friday\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator Stacy Hermann @ V20CompensationTeam@va.gov for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]