Job Description

Summary

This full-time social worker is based within the Battle Creek VAMC Mental Health Clinics (MHC). The incumbent in this position independently provides an array of case management (CM) - longitudinal care coordination - and clinical psychotherapy/recovery services. The incumbent may maintain a small caseload (up to 20% of a full-time therapist) of psychotherapy clients but functions primarily as a case manager. This position reports to Psychiatry Service.

Qualifications

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
• 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 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
• 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
• Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Current employees 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)
• Creditable Experience
• The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices
• To be creditable - the experience must have required the use of knowledge - skills - abilities - and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice
• The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree
• Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice - which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker - as defined by the appropriate state licensing board
• Quality of Experience
• Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled
• Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level
• Part-Time Experience
• Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week
• For example - one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work
• Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training
• Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice - i.e. - group or family practice
• Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis
• Practicum in a VA Setting
• A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience - as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker - 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
• 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
• GS-11 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies.

Duties

• Major duties include - but are not limited to: The CM completes a comprehensive assessment of the concerns - needs - and preferences of the Veteran and their family or caregiver
• The assessment includes elements such as military history - social supports - housing - transportation - education and employment - income and finances - and initial care plan
• Subsequent reassessments/monitoring are created in collaboration with the Veteran - their family or caregiver - and interprofessional team - as clinically indicated
• Assessments are documented in the electronic health record (EHR)
• The CM identifies and prioritizes the Veteran's and their family/caregiver's desired or expected goal(s) and outcome(s) - as well as resource assessment to identify available benefits - assistive options - and appropriate services and resources within and outside VHA
• Resources may include existing natural supports - and internal skills and coping mechanisms
• The CM plans and implements a care plan through coordination and collaboration with the Veteran - the family - or caregivers - and VHA and community providers
• The intensity and duration of CM services are dependent on the Veteran's care needs
• The CM assists Veterans/caregivers with system navigation - and linking them in a timely manner to health - mental health - health education - self-management and social services - community-based resources - or benefits - as clinically indicated
• The CM will facilitate proactive - patient-centric communication and information sharing between the Veteran or Service member - their family or caregiver - providers - and other care team members
• The CM will engage - develop - and maintain therapeutic relationships with the Veteran - families - and caregivers - utilizing resiliency-based - recovery-oriented - Veteran-centered communication and practice techniques (e.g. - Health Education - Health Coaching - Share Decision Making - Motivational Interviewing - Solution Focused Work - Psychosocial Problem Solving - Strength-Based Work) as well as time-limited psychotherapy to facilitate progress - growth - and positive lifestyle changes
• If providing psychotherapy services - the CM conducts psychosocial screening and evaluations for the wide range of mental conditions utilizing best practices for initial and follow-up assessment (i.e. - measurement-based care) - as well as participates in the development of appropriate treatment plans
• The CM provides emergency/crisis intervention services to outpatients experiencing acute psychological crises - helping to stabilize these individuals - assisting in the referral arrangements for transfer to a psychiatric facility for inpatient care if necessary - and providing follow up care as needed
• The CM coordinates effective and timely referrals to ensure the appropriate level and type of care - working collaboratively with VA teams across BCVAMC (e.g. - PACT - Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) - Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) - Whole Health - specialty Substance Abuse Treatment Program and PTSD Clinic - Suicide Prevention Team - Local Recovery Coordinator - Veterans Justice Outreach - Housing and Urban Development Department of Veteran Affairs Supporting Housing - Health Care of Homeless Veterans - Grant and Per Diem - Transition and Care Management - and the Caregiver Support Program) - at BCVAMC (e.g. - inpatient - residential) - and across VISN 10
• The CM manages transitions of the Veteran to other interfacility VA programs (e.g. - Tele-Mental Health Clinical Resource Hub) - as well as other VHA - DoD - federal state - and local home and community-based services (to include the Office of Community Care)
• The CM uses case management best practice processes - procedures - tools - and templates in their work to allow for better tracking - monitoring - and reporting of quality and performance metrics
• The CM completes all clinical charting and documentation accurately and in a timely manner as required by and according to procedures outlined by applicable accrediting organizations - VHA - Medical Center - and Service policies
• The CM engages in various administrative activities - to include peer review to assess the quality of professional care standards provided in the organization - participating in team- - clinic- - and service-based staff meetings - and engagement in continuing education activities to maintain professional licensure and any certification - to include Basic Life Support
• The CM maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standard - Joint Commission standards - and facility standards
• The CM may serve on committees - work groups - and task forces as needed
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc may be approved at supervisory discretion
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 91597-A

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About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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Full time, Part time, Work experience placement, Local area, Remote job, Monday to Friday,

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