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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. 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. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Grade Determinations: GS-9 Entry Level Social Worker 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: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. GS-11 Full Performance Social Worker 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. 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. References: VA handbook 5005 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: This position requires light lifting, light carrying, use of fingers, both legs requires, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades, and Hearing (aid permitted). ["Major duties include but not limited to: Incumbent provides psychosocial services to the veteran population served on the Short Stay Unit and the Hospice Care Unit at the Palo Alto Division of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Services include provision of high-quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, discharge planning, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and/or agencies as needed by the client. This is accomplished in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team. The incumbent evaluates and provides complex, multiple services to individuals and families with a variety of social, emotional and health related problems. Services are timely, comprehensive, and effectively coordinated with services provided by other health professionals. Incumbent also works collaboratively with the Social Work Coordinator on the Hospice and Palliative Care Center inpatient unit to provide interdisciplinary supportive care to Veterans facing a life-limiting illness and their family members. Emphasis is placed on quality of life rather than prolongation of life. The Hospice and Palliative Care team work to ensure that Veterans are as comfortable as possible, addressing physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual pain. Incumbent provides case management services in addition to supportive counseling addressing grief and loss are an integral part of the care for Veterans and their families. It is the responsibility of every social worker doing an intake, a social assessment, a psychosocial diagnosis or any information-gathering process with a patient to be especially attentive to risk factors, and to verbally and/or in writing call attention to treatment staff of such factors and ensure they are addressed. Social workers will also educate other clinical personnel to be sensitive and responsive to risk factors, as necessary. The incumbent assesses the safety of the home situation of veterans through interviews with veterans and their family or friends and reports abuse and neglect or other unsafe situations to Adult Protective Services or Child Protective Services as appropriate. The social worker is responsible for developing the treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran/family. The treatment plan will be completed and updated as needed (e.g., if there is a change in the patient's condition or needs). 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. The social worker is responsible for educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his/her surrogate decision-maker. Social worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. 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 the program at this VA facility. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Telework: May be available based on Ad-Hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@VA.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required."]

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