U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Social Worker
This job is now closed
Job Description
- Req#: 722168000
- 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/.
This is an open continuous announcement for Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) and Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) within the Mental Health service for Social Workers. Please see below for descriptions. You may choose which specialties you would like to apply for within the application process.
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.Duties
BHIP Collaborative Care Manager Social Worker: The incumbent is primarily responsible for patient outreach and support and facilitating engagement in treatment. Patient contact is frequently initiated via telephone, video telehealth, or written correspondence, but face-to-face contact is also within the scope of this position. The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) is the largest individual program within the Mental Health Care Line (MHCL) of the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS). The BHIP is the primary setting in which outpatient mental health services are delivered at TVHS and consists of multi-disciplinary teams of mental health professionals that work together to provide recovery-oriented, evidence-based treatment to veterans. The BHIP Collaborative Care Manager (BHIP CoCM) Social Worker (SW) provides evidence-based services to assist BHIP providers in supporting and treating veterans with common mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. BHIP CoCM services include patient education and support, activation, behavioral interventions, monitoring of medication adherence and response, tracking, and other services as required. The BHIP CoCM will assist with tracking and engaging Veterans deemed to be high risk for suicide.
PCMHI Collaborative Care Manager Social Worker: The incumbent provides evidence-based, condition specific (e.g., depression), protocol-driven services to collaboratively assist PACT providers in treating common mental health and health behavior concerns in primary care. Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) is a component of the interdisciplinary Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The PCMHI Collaborative Care Manager (PCMHI CoCM) Social Worker (SW) provides evidence-based, condition specific (e.g., depression), protocol-driven services to collaboratively assist Primary Aligned Care Team (PACT) providers in treating common mental health and health behavior concerns in primary care to include depression, anxiety, trauma, insomnia, and crisis response when indicated. PCMHI CoCM services include patient education, activation, behavioral interventions, monitoring of medication adherence and response, as well as other protocol-driven services. These services are provided in the outpatient Primary Care setting utilizing all aspects of the nursing process within a collaborative, interdisciplinary practice setting. The PCMHI CoCM will assist with tracking and engaging Veterans deemed to be high risk for suicide.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Available (ADHOC)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Title/Functional Statement #:Social Worker-Multiple Specialties/PD000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Fi nancial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
Grade Determinations:GS-11 Social Worker
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:
(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.
(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 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.About the company
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country.