Current, permanent VA employees or Federal employees from another agency should apply under CBST-11790644-23-AK. This Social Worker position is located in the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare (CAVHS) Community Residential Care (CRC) program. The social worker serves as an active member of an interdisciplinary team that consists of a psychiatrist, occupational therapist, registered nurses, psychologists and other social workers. 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: The Social Worker must meet the following requirement: 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/. 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. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-0185-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Must meet the basic qualification requirements as identified above AND can you demonstrate 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. Social Worker, GS-0185-11 Experience: 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: 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: 3 years working with individuals with serious mental illness Performs mental health evaluations for a diverse population, including geriatric and post-deployment combat Veterans, who have a serious mentally illness, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar disorders and who may also have psychosocial issues such as homelessness, unemployment, or a poor family support network. Performs case management services and familiar with VA and community-based resources, to include Veterans Benefits Administration. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including diagnostic assessments, suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, evidence-based psychotherapy, and overall care of patients with mental health disorders. Modalities for patient care include face-to-face, video teleconference, and telephone calls as clinically appropriate. Provider must be able to incorporate alternative encounter modalities into clinical care. Ensures practice of mental healthcare is consistent with TJC, CARF, HIPPA, VA policies and procedures, clinical practice guidelines, national statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, and maintain mandatory continuing education. Maintains appropriate licensing and board certifications as applicable. Participates effectively in team meetings and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to enhance coordination of comprehensive patient care. Orders consultations appropriately. Discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions. Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification. Primary responsibilities are in outpatient Mental Health Services. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking, standing, both legs required, operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle, both eyes required, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid may be permitted). (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services). ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of the Social Worker - Community Residential Care (CRC) Case Manager include but are not limited to: Clinical Functions: Incumbent will provide social work services to maintain or improve the Veteran's health and social functioning within the program to support the highest level of functioning of the Veteran. Incumbent possesses knowledge of serious mental illnesses, psychiatric medications, including risks and benefits and medical conditions. Social worker must ensure that each Community Residential Care (CRC) resident is visited at least monthly to evaluate needs and adjustment to living environment. Veterans with psychiatric needs must be seen more frequently, as clinically indicated or as his/her care needs change. Incumbent acts as a liaison between the Veteran, the CRC Sponsor, family or personal representative, and VHA. Additionally, the incumbent: Will administer measured-based care assessments to CRC residents at least quarterly, and as clinically indicated. The incumbent will ensure all CRC Veterans are scheduled for a primary care provider appointment annually and are screened for any active communicable diseases. Routinely completes clinical reminders across a broad spectrum of mental health disorders including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide risk assessment, depression, tobacco, AUDIT-C, Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and advance directives. The incumbent will coordinate services and provide social work services as indicated by clinical reminder screenings. Accurately assess the clinical needs of Veterans and provide timely linkage to VA and community resources. Performs comprehensive suicide risk screenings and assessments and develops and integrates safety planning and safety goals into the Veteran's collaborative individualized recovery plan. Complete second level screenings for positive depression, PTSD screenings. Has knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice, which includes administering measured based care tools, such as the Whole Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule and Patient Health Questionnaire and utilizing outcome evaluations to improvement treatment services and to design system changes. Incumbent will assist the CRC Sponsor with obtaining a higher level of care for Veterans, when clinically indicated. The social worker will assume a proactive role in assisting the Veteran with identifying resources to address the clinical needs. Non-Clinical Functions: The incumbent: Supports the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility. Collaborates with VARO to assist Veterans with benefits, such as Pension with Aid and Attendance and other benefits. Collaborates with the Office of Long-Term Care Services and area ombudsmen as deemed necessary. Participates in work-groups, and system redesign committees at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor or program coordinator. Keeps supervisor apprised of problems and recommend solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. Adheres to continuing education standards by complying with the state licensure requirements as appropriate to the area of assignment. The incumbent completes all Mandatory Talent Management System (TMS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) within required timeframes. Adheres to all Mental Health Service, JACHO and facility standards. Coordinates CRC tours with potential CRC residents, conduct orientations during CRC admissions and review Veterans rights and responsibilities with all parties. The incumbent will ensure that all required admission documents are complete and scanned into Veterans' medical records. Assists CRC Sponsor in obtaining resources to make CRC home modifications for special accommodations through use of available resources Participates in the monthly CRC National Conference calls. Participates in activities to promote program quality improvement and marketing as assigned. Assists with planning and coordinating semi-annual CRC Sponsor trainings, which includes but not limited to, infection control, serious mental illness, recovery language, fire safety, medication management, VA resources, and healthy meal preparation. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-00314-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

Return to Search Results