This announcement was amended to change the hours and days to Friday - Monday 7:00 am to 5:30 pm. The Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, Social Work Service is currently recruiting for multiple Social Workers PACT for position at the Oklahoma VA Medical Center. This announcement has been extended till September 30, 2022 or all positions are filled. Applicants will be referred every 15 business days. 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. 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 the social worker position GS-0185 series in the 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/ORHM//T38Hybrids. 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. Social Worker GS-09 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, 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. 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 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. 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. 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. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-9-11 References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G-39 Dated September 10, 2019 Physical Requirements: Must be able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity, must be able to express or exchange ideals by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens. ["Incumbent is an independent Clinical Social Worker assigned to Oklahoma City VA Medical Centers' Primary Care Clinics. Must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of veterans. Social Work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems, often at a time when the veteran is experiencing crisis and include the provision of short-term, solution-focused counseling with veterans and/or their family members/significant others. Referrals typically originate from members of the interdisciplinary team, from veterans and/or their family members/significant others coming as walk-ins to seek assistance, and from community professionals. The incumbent must complete thorough assessments to determine the presenting problem to determine in-home factors impacting the problem and to determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments. Consultation with members of the outpatient interdisciplinary team is provided in order to coordinate a collaborative effort to meet the agreed upon goals for the veteran's treatment needs and include liaison with community professionals regarding needed services for veterans and/or their families. Working with various patient populations include, but are not limited to, homeless veterans, Hospice Services, Community Living Center, Home Health services, financial resources, VA benefits, and transportation services.\n- Screening/Assessment-The social worker will complete an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to identify needs and formulate a plan to meet those needs. The incumbent demonstrates 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.\n- Treatment Planning/Goal Setting_- The Social Worker is responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran and family members/caregiver.\n- Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment, the Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The Social Worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs.\n- Resource Usage/Development- 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. The Social Worker will refer the veteran to needed services.\n- Advocacy-The Social Worker understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran and family members/caregiver. When appropriate and feasible, the Social Worker will educate and encourage the veteran to advocate on his/her own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.\n- Crisis Intervention -The Social Worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. The Social Worker has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, staff will follow the protocol of his/her respective clinic and the facility at Oklahoma City VA Medical Center.\n- Education/Health promotion and prevention - The Social Worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans and family members/caregiver to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.\n- Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services -The Social Worker will review the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each veteran. The Social Worker will educate the veteran, their family members/caregiver and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family members/caregiver on the preferred option.\n- Supportive counseling-The Social Worker will provide the veterans and their family\nmembers/caregiver with ongoing supportive counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/ disabling illness, onset of a catastrophic illness mental Illness. Work Schedule: Friday - Monday 7:30 am- 5:30 p.m. 10 hours shifts\nCompressed/Flexible: Yes, for highly qualified individuals (4- 10 hour shifts)\nTelework: Yes for highly qualified individuals\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #: 000000/ Social Worker\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]