Job Description
Summary
The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is recruiting to fill a Social Work - Inpatient Mental Health position in serving the Battle Creek and Benton Harbor catchment area. Social Worker provides comprehensive mental health care to inpatient Veterans through assessment - treatment planning - evidence-based therapy - and case management.
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
- 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of 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 SW Licensure by State 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
- English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
- 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
- Social Worker - GS-9 (Entry Level) 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: 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 (Full Performance Level) 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
- Education
- In addition to meeting 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 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
- Physical Requirements
- See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services
- 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.
Duties
- VA Careers - Social Work: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program
- You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment
- Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
- Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply
- Duties include - but are not limited to: Provide individual and group therapy in accordance with clinical privileges and scope of practice
- Exercise independent judgment in mental health treatment planning and decision-making
- Conduct comprehensive assessments and develop individualized treatment plans for Veterans
- Support Veterans in the recovery process by helping them obtain and use internal and external resources
- Perform ongoing assessment of Veterans' progress and adjust treatment as clinically indicated
- Develop and implement discharge plans when appropriate
- Prioritize safety of the Veteran and others through assessment - intervention - and case management
- Serve as an advocate and champion for recovery-focused mental health services
- Maintain availability for emergent clinical needs - which may occasionally arise on evenings or weekends
- Hold full clinical privileges as approved by the Professional Standards Board
- Provide clinical evaluations for inpatients and apply evidence-based interventions for a wide range of mental health conditions
- Deliver case management services when indicated.- Provide direct patient care and consultation for complex or challenging cases
- Collaborate as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team - using strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills
- Determine need for diagnostic procedures - evaluations - and appropriate therapeutic interventions
- Provide evidence-based psychotherapies - including individual - couples - family - and group therapy - as credentialed
- Refer Veterans to appropriately privileged team members for treatments outside the incumbent's scope
- Complete all required clinical documentation and charting in a timely manner
- Provide psychoeducation to Veterans - families - and significant others
- Perform additional duties assigned by the Program Manager - Inpatient Mental Health - within ethical and credentialing boundaries
- Other duties as assigned
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Functional Statement #: 91543A - 91544A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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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