Summary

This Social Worker position is within the Social Work Service at the Littleton - New Hampshire location.

Qualifications

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: You must 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 or Certification: You 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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - GS-9: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 - you 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: Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• AND Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 - you must possess a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-09 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
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing social work case management
• acting as an patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members
• In collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams - identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity
• Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals
• -OR- 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: 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: Experience in conducting psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• This Social Worker position is in Geriatrics and Extended Care services at the VA White River Junction Healthcare Systems - located at the Littleton - New Hampshire location
• This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.Duties include but are not limited to: Screening/Assessment: The Social Worker will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Veteran - and family members/significant others
• The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths - limitations - and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veteran's functional status and safely maintain the Veteran in his/her home
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: Responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran - family members/significant others and the other HBPC clinical staff
• 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 the other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for non-institutional - institutional service/programs and entitlements
• The Social Worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and families/significant others of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker
• Resource 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 the Veterans
• The Social Worker will refer the Veteran to needed services
• 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/significant others
• 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
• Crisis Intervention: Experienced in the 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 emergency - the Social Worker will follow the protocol of HBPC Program and White River Junction VA Medical Center
• Performs additional duties as assigned
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pd fWork Schedule: Monday-Friday 08:00am-04:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Adhoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F04391 for GS-09 and F1089 for GS-11 NOTIFICATIONS: Due to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement
• This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.