Social Worker-Inpatient Mental Health Social Worker

Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Location: Grand Junction
Posted on: November 14, 2023

Job Description:

Summary 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. Responsibilities -Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and family members to formulate and implement a treatment plan. Interview Veterans and conducts Biopsychosocial Assessments. Interviews Veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Interprets and explains VA's treatment and benefit programs. -Implements treatment modalities to achieve treatment goals using judgement and skills in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Evaluate the Veteran's situation, including the Veteran's reaction to it and the ability to deal with it and arrives at a reasoned conclusion. Based on the biopsychosocial assessment, uses professional judgment and skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan, involving the Veteran and family or significant others. Performs insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses. Makes professional decisions and recommendations for agency action. -Establishes and maintains effective working relationships and communicates with Veterans, staff, and other parties as appropriate. Consulting with a multidisciplinary team, the IP MH SW concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the Veteran. This might include long-term institutional or nursing home care or separation from family members. -Utilizes knowledge of community resources, makes referrals to the community and other government agencies as appropriate, and coordinates services. Schedule and monitor Post Discharge Engagement appointments for the facility in order to ensure continuity of care for Veterans following discharge from inpatient units and residential rehabilitation treatment programs. IP MH SW will confirm post discharge orders are placed for scheduling the appropriate number of follow-up appointments upon discharge from the mental health unit and the medical unit for Veterans with a primary diagnosis of mental health or substance use disorder. -Independently conducts psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Practices in the area or program to which assigned; including promotion of Social Work services as a key component of treatment. Evaluates their practice as a social worker on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies or other organized means. -Utilizes knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures to formulate a treatment plan. Develop biopsychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Makes initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals. Arrives at a reasoned conclusion as to the preferred course of agency action. Provides consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. -Independently implements different treatment modalities in working with Veterans, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Provides clinical services to Veterans and family members/significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment. Gives advice. Guidance, emotional support and other assistance. Provides individual and group counsel services, in some settings including psychotherapy. Assists and encourages Veterans and significant others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluation the situation realistically, considering alternative course of action and arriving at plans for using resources to resolve problems. -Provides consultation, education, and advocacy. Receives and completes consults requesting services form interdisciplinary team members and from other social workers on complex, difficult cases, using practice skills and expertise. -Performs Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M-F; 08:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55432-A, 55433-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized only at the GS-11 Level EDRP Authorized: Contact Jillana Martinez (jillana.martinez@va.gov), the EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: -Citizenship Be a citizen of the United States. -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 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. -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-09 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: -Social Worker, GS-09 Experience, Education, and Licensure None beyond the basic requirements. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. -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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 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. 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. 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. 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: None References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II 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-09 to 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. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. This position requires a valid state driver's license and local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans. The position requires significant travel in the community, through use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements, to meet with representatives/stakeholders who provide assistance and support to Veterans in clinics, medical centers, Community Clinics, etc. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Keywords: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Grand Junction , Social Worker-Inpatient Mental Health Social Worker, Healthcare , Grand Junction, Colorado