Job Description
Summary
This position is located at the Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic on Erie Blvd West in Syracuse - NY. The GS 11 Clinical Social Worker plays a crucial role as a full-time member of the Behavioral health Interdisciplinary Team (BHIP) in the Mental health ICC under the Syracuse VA Medical Center. This incumbent provides outpatient mental health treatment to Veterans who are connected with the Syracuse VAMC and its Community Based Outpatient clinics (CBOCs).
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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 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
- 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
- Grade Determinations: GS-9 (Entry Level Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the basic education requirement - 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
- 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 - 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: 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
- References: VA Qualification Standards Hybrid Title 38
- 0185 Series
- 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-9 to GS-11
- Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. - Peace Corps - AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. - professional
- philanthropic
- religions
- spiritual
- community
- student
- social)
- Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment
- You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience.
Duties
- The incumbent is responsible for providing individual - couple - and group psychotherapeutic treatment to address mental health symptoms and emotional health issues with a goal to alleviate symptoms - increase self-awareness/ self-governance of symptoms - to promote recovery and well-being for the client
- The incumbent will: Collaborate with the Veteran and their significant others to determine the best course of action in all mental health treatment modalities
- Develop a comprehensive psychosocial assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Veteran - and their natural supports that considers the range of mental health treatments available and sensitivity to the unique - individual needs of the Veteran
- Have working knowledge and experience in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses
- The incumbent will possess a solid understanding of medical terminology to effectively communicate with other healthcare professionals
- Familiarity with treatment procedures for the range of acute through chronic psychiatric illnesses - as well as common medications their effects and side effects
- Expertise in evidence-based treatment methods - some but not all may include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) - and Prolonged Exposure (PE)
- Actively contribute to the development of the Veteran's treatment plan and set achievable goals in collaboration with the Veteran - their significant others - and other clinical staff
- Experience in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for potential admission to psychiatric hospitalization or mental health residential program
- Collaborate with other service providers to reassess the Veteran's needs on an ongoing basis and provide appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference with incorporation of their surrogate decision-maker when necessary
- Facilitate discharge planning by working alongside the interdisciplinary treatment team to ensure a smooth transition for the Veteran
- This requires effective communication and coordination to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner
- Possess excellent communication skills - both orally and in writing - and ability to interact effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds
- Documentation - clinical treatment interventions and activities occurs in an electronic clinical record
- Incumbent will review progress notes from other providers to accurately assess the Veteran's strengths and limitations to ensure comprehensive care
- Provide assessment and consultation with colleagues when needed regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on healthcare and treatment adherence
- Coordinate treatment and communicate with other services to facilitate comprehensive care for Veterans
- Including the provision of continuity of care during transfer to a lower or higher level of care
- Have general knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs - service-connected compensation - and non-service-connected pension - as it enables the incumbent to make appropriate referrals based on Veterans' needs and eligibility
- Perform any other duties assigned - adaptable to the changing needs of the organization and the Veterans served
- Evaluate own practice through professional peer review - case conferences - and other organizational means
- Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Functional Statement #: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
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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Permanent employment, Full time, Work experience placement, Remote job, Relocation bonus, Monday to Friday,