Social Worker- Inpatient Mental Health

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. Program 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.

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
• 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-185 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 up to the full performance level
• 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)
• 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 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)
• Grade Determinations: GS-09: Experience: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated KSAs: In addition to the experience above - must demonstrate the following: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• 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
• Assignments
• Individuals assigned as GS-9 social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised - as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification
• Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to VHA program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Since these social workers are not practicing at an independent level - they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required - such as in a CBOC - unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice
• GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision
• 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-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 stat at the independent practice level
• OR - Education: In addition to meting the 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 KSAs: In addition to the experience above - must demonstrate the following: 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 - educational - and other 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: Inpatient Mental Health Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• 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: Ability to physically access various treatment settings within the facility
• Ability to use computers frequently/continuously throughout the day for data input and communication
• Ability to use phone
• Position is primarily sedentary - and incumbent must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time
• May require light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds) and climbing stairs as needed
• Ability to walk up and down steps
• Ability to navigate unfamiliar surroundings
• Valid driver's license is a requirement as incumbent is required to provide consultation services to one of the Vet Centers located in Detroit - Dearborn - Pontiac - or Macomb County and outreach is a required part of this position
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent social worker serves in a full-time capacity within the Mental Health Service (MHS) at the John D Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit
• The social worker is part of the Acute Mental Health (MH) Care Team on the Inpatient Mental Health Unit
• Serves as a limited licensed independent practitioner (LLMSW) social worker as part of the Acute MH Care Services treatment team Performs triaging/screening as well as comprehensive psychosocial assessments - integrating input from the Veteran - their caregiver/family - VA records - and as appropriate outside records - as well as brief assessments when appropriate Provides case management interventions - used in the treatment of Veterans with cognitive - mood - anxiety - psychotic - trauma - substance - and other mental health - emotional and behavioral disorders Educates/links Veterans and/or their caregivers about/with appropriate VA and community resources to address their needs Liaisons/advocates on behalf of the treatment team and/or Veteran/caregiver between settings of care - both internal and external to the VA Provides patient and caregiver education - both in individual and group formats Provides motivational interviewing and supportive therapy - both in individual and group formats Provides crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint Coordinates family conferences Assesses the need for referral for more intensive and/or specialty mental health services Identifies high-risk patients and connects with needed resources and services - as needed Consults - collaborates - and coordinates with other staff who provide care (both inpatient and outpatient) to the Veteran Completes comprehensive Veteran-centered - recovery-focused treatment plans and updates as appropriate/required Completes clinical reminders Serves as an advocate for individualized treatment planning and recommendations Provides comprehensive and recovery-focused discharge planning services
• Reviews relevant data - assesses the data - develops - and implement ideas for improvement Participates as a member of a treatment team on the inpatient MH unit
• Collaborates with other members of the treatment team and all inpatient mental health staff
• Assists in providing as needed coverage of other Acute MH Section areas including but not limited to MH evaluation in the Emergency Department - intensive outpatient case management - community engagement - and high risk for suicide interventions
• Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday- Friday - 8-:00am- 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact [email protected] - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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) 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 91522-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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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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