Summary

The Acute Psychiatry Social Worker provides inpatient - transitional - and emergency acute psychiatric social work services to the Veteran population enrolled at VAPORHCS. These services include provision of high quality psychosocial screening and assessment and diagnosis - psychosocial treatment and intervention - specialized case management and care coordination - advocacy - health education - supportive counseling and caregiver support.

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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation 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 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
• 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
• 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: Social Worker - GS-9 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 utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• (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
• Social Worker - 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-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 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 - educational - and other 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience working in an Acute Psychiatry Unit - State Hospital - Emergency Department Mental Health setting or similar environment
• Psychological assessment experience in an inpatient mental health setting
• 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-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination
• Exceptions: A pre-placement examination is required for any occupation or assignment that requires the operation of a government-owned or -leased motor vehicle in order to properly carry out assigned duties
• Examinations may also be required for any occupation or assignment that requires a pre-placement examination by virtue of another policy - regulation - or statute

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES Screening/Assessment- Under Supervision - social worker develops an assessment of the Veteran in crisis that involves care coordination and consultation with medical - nursing management - non-VA legal - state - and social work staff in other care areas to which Veterans are referred - consulted - treated and/or comanaged
• This can include screening Veterans for admission and presenting screenings to the inpatient admission team
• Inpatient assessments - completed in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Veteran - family members and significant others result in a social work treatment plan accounting for unique characteristics of each Veteran
• The goal of the acute psychiatric inpatient 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 to prepare him/her for discharge back to the community
• The assessment will be completed and updated when needed - as specified by the policy for the assigned work area and will include care directives from the Veteran
• In the Emergency Department - the social worker presents assessments to the Emergency Department Attending physician in the role of a mental health consultant Treatment Planning/Goal Setting- Under Supervision the social worker is responsible for contributing to the interdisciplinary treatment plan and independently develops a social work plan that includes setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran and/or family
• The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations - psychological needs - and age associated illnesses and conditions.
• Discharge Planning - Under supervision - the discharge plan may involve but is not limited to housing the homeless - engagement in recovery - increasing the Veterans support system - symptom management - assisting with financial and disability resources and locating treatment opportunities for Veterans in areas such as PTSD and MST
• The social worker also consults with legal representatives (county and court) and assists with guardianships by educating patients and families about resources and procedures and by seeking funding assistance from county and state resources when no family is available
• The social worker will assist the Veteran in following through with goals identified in the treatment plan within social work scope
• The social worker will monitor - provide - and document outreach to discharged Veterans when necessary as part of the need to provide safe and quality care during transitions in care such as inpatient to outpatient
• Crisis Intervention - Under supervision - social workers in the acute psychiatric setting will make rapid assessments of a developing crisis that may involve danger to either staff or patients and are trained to take appropriate action in conjunction with other staff and the VA Police when necessary
• 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 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 the surrogate decision-maker
• Resource Usage/Development - The social worker is responsible for using the current VA social work resource file and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans
• The social worker will refer the Veteran to needed services
• The social worker will actively engage with community resources and build relationships to further benefit the VAPORHCS and individual Veterans served
• Work Schedule: 0800-1600 Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Available