Summary

The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for 1 full-time Substance Use Disorder Counselor for the Mental Health Integrated Clinical Community. This position provides substance use disorder specialty care and supportive services for Veteran families. This vacancy will be filled by a Social Worker - Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - or Addiction Therapist (Licensed Master's).

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
• 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
• 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
• 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-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 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 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
• All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package
• We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications
• Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification
• It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package
• 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-09 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent provides clinical case management and therapeutic intervention services to enrolled Veterans with a substance use disorder (SUD) - including other mental health disorders (i.e. - comorbidities) who are also experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness
• Veterans served by the incumbent are frequently homeless due to their SUD activities - so providing SUD treatment support and early intervention promotes recovery - improved quality of life and successful permanent housing
• Veteran population of focus are those who are not eligible for many VA homeless services due to a variety of variables (e.g. - having too high of income) - but need mental health and/or SUD services
• The incumbent is a part of the SUD team located at the Fargo VA main hospital and is expected to attend SUD Interdisciplinary Team Meetings - and SUD Huddles
• The incumbent is physically located at the Community Referral and Resource Center (CRRC) to provide MH/SUD case management and therapy services
• Services include provision of high-quality assessment - coordinating treatment - case management - advocacy - therapy - and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and agencies as needed by the Veteran
• Expectations in this area will include a significant focus of engaging Veterans experiencing MH/SUD concerns into VA services including but not limited to SUD specialty care or residential services
• This work uses a team-based and recovery-oriented approach to coordination of services between the VA Health Care system and community partners - and is accomplished within the Mental Health Integrated Care Community - Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program (SUD) - Healthcare for Homeless Veteran (HCHV) team - through liaison efforts with Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSFV) staff or other interdisciplinary treatment teams as appropriate
• The incumbent takes a proactive and collaborative population health approach to longitudinal substance use disorder care coordination focused on the treatment and management of acute or chronic substance use disorders
• The incumbent is skilled in the areas of systems collaboration and linking Veterans - families and caregivers with needed services and resources - including wellness opportunities
• Case management may include initiating - providing oversight and management of a comprehensive plan for Veterans with complex mental health care needs - in addition to therapy services
• Duties include - but are not limited to: Psychosocial Assessment Clinical diagnosing using DSM and ICD behavior codes Treatment Planning/Goal Setting Therapy Referral to service providers Resource Development Advocacy Crisis Intervention Education/Health promotion and prevention Supportive counseling Administrative responsibilities This position requires 25% travel
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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: Available (Ad-hoc only) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized