This position is located at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System (OKCVAHCS) in the Primary Care Mental Health Clinic. The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychological and psychosocial problems of veterans. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following requirements: a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part.) 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 the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work. c. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. 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. e. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Grade Determinations: GS-9 Social Worker Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 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. GS-11 Social Worker (a) Experience, Education and Licensure. Promotion 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) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 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. References: VA Handbook 5005 Social Worker, GS-0185 Series, Part II, Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standards. Physical Requirements: The work is moderately active. Typically, the employee is driving a vehicle, walking around various facilities/settings, visiting with patients standing up, and at times sits comfortably while working. There will also be some light exertion required when walking; standing, bending or climbing stairs, carrying of light items such as papers, books, laptop, small objects, or driving an automobile. Must be able to sit/stand for long periods of time and lift 20 lbs. Ability to complete a Basic Life Support (BLS) course is a position requirement. ["***This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until May 23, 2022. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered on an ongoing basis as applications are received. Applications will remain on file until May 23, 2022.*** Major duties include: - interview patients, develop a psychosocial assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others. - The worker may gather and evaluate information from sources other than the Veteran, with the patient's consent, to validate Veteran reports and provide a more comprehensive assessment. - The worker will create a Veteran psychosocial assessment and mental health diagnosis for each assigned Veteran. - It is the responsibility of the social worker, working within the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on this assessment. - The incumbent will demonstrate an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions. - The incumbent must have an understanding of the problems of serious mental illness, advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population. - The social worker will formulate a mutually agreed upon recovery/treatment plan with the Veteran/family and the PRRC team, which includes recovery based goals, objectives and treatment methods based upon the veteran assessment. - Makes adjustments to the treatment plan and interventions based on changing needs and response to interventions. - The social worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. - The social worker is responsible for using the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. - Social worker understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family. - Social worker takes the responsibility for identifying the mental health education needs of Veterans and works with the interdisciplinary team on a plan to address those needs. - Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Mental Health Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. - The social worker will establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm\nCompressed/Flexible: Available\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Social Worker/PD00000\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]