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. 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. Learn more 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: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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. 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. Current state requirements may be found on the OHRM website. 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. Grade Determinations: GS-9:Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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: 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. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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, Part II, Chapter 3, appendix G39 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 involves standing, stooping, lifting (perhaps greater than 50 pounds), sitting, pulling, assisting patients as needed. Additionally, moving patient and supplies and pushing patient as needed. The Social Worker is required to work at a computer work station to complete his/her documentation of incidents involving patients and the progress in the patient's overall program. ["The VHA is a mission driven, federally funded organization that emphasizes putting the patient first. The mission is to \"Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.\" VA New England is leading the VHA's Primary Care initiative in the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model embedded in an innovative, Whole Health oriented Primary Care Delivery System. This system leverages best health care practices built on standardized work processes that optimize the unique contributions of each discipline. We cultivate a highly dynamic, integrative, and collaborative team environment. VHA is on a journey towards becoming a High Reliability Organization. The PACT model serves a complex panel of Veteran patients. Our Whole Health system empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and includes complimentary and integrative health approaches that enhance self-empowerment, self-healing, and self-care. Our patients develop longitudinal relationships with the entire team comprised of clinical pharmacy practitioners, dieticians, social workers and behavioral health providers. This team collaborates to address patient needs, mitigate social determinants of health and proactively manage the health of our population. Our typically smaller panel sizes, wide array of support services and virtual care options (from video visits to mobile apps and patient generated data) provide more flexibility for how Veterans engage in their own health care and with their team. The social worker in this veteran-centric approach often functions as a care coordinator and case manager for primary care veterans in all settings to ensure that health care meets the needs, as defined by the veteran. The primary care social worker is responsible to answer social work and advance directive consults, to triage and refer veteran needs to other social work practice areas as appropriate, and to utilize population health management to provide proactive outreach in order to improve quality of care. The primary care Social Worker will also work with veterans utilizing specialty care such as, but not limited to, urgent care, neurology and pain clinics as these veterans and families can often benefit from social work support in addressing social determinants of health. The role of a social worker case manager in the PACT is to assess and treat psychosocial and environmental factors that impact the patient's ability to achieve maximum health and wellness. Social work case managers assess the patient's psychological and emotional adjustment to illness within the context of medical diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options. The duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Maintain effective therapeutic relationships with veterans in the primary care clinic and/or their families, which may also involve home visits. Complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functions and needs of veterans and/or their families. Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner. Serves as a liaison between veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. Provides consultation and education to veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs and advance directives. Provides consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of veterans and/or families and the impact the issues may have on the veterans health care planning and compliance with treatment. Make referrals to community and other governmental programs and agencies. Provide case management services to the veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday through Friday\nTelework: Available. Telework Ad-Hoc work can be performed on an as needed basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home).\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: GS-9, 608-F2513; GS-11, 608-F2514\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Brittany.Kohnke@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: Position is in the Excepted Service Position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit Position is covered by locality-based comparability pay Incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses & CBOC's Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) will be required in order to proceed with the appointment Incomplete applications will not be considered"]