Summary

Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) is a unique service within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that provides readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans - Active Duty Service Members (ADSM) - and their families. RCS consists of direct counseling services - community outreach - and referral services to community providers - VA and non-VA. Readjustment counseling is provided to eligible individuals through 300 Vet Centers - over 80 Mobile Vet Centers - other points of care.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: Eligible candidates must meet possess a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• 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: This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9)
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment
• Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary
• It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally
• Reaching above shoulder
• Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day)
• Sitting (4-7 hours per day)
• Walking up to 6 hours per day)
• Standing (up to 8 hours per day)
• Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs
• Some bending
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-9 (Entry Level): Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): 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
• 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-09 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 and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level
• ~AND~ Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate 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 Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) The full Performance level of the GS-0185 Social Worker job series is GS-11
• The actual grade at which a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is either the GS-09 or the GS-11 grade level
• Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation.

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The incumbent will be responsible for providing the following Vet Center services to eligible individuals who are experiencing a variety of military related psychological and psychosocial problems
• Incumbents must possess the knowledge and experience to independently implement psychotherapeutic modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to enhance the readjustment of Veterans - active duty Service members - and their families
• Duties of this position include - but are not limited to: Intake Screening and Assessment: The incumbent will work directly with eligible individuals to establish a therapeutic relationship and complete all required readjustment counseling intake procedures - including an assessment of risk for self-harm - military history and military related psychosocial stressors
• Readjustment Counseling Goal Setting and Service Planning: Based on the outcome of the initial psychosocial assessment - the incumbent will develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions - including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes
• Direct Readjustment Counseling Service Provision: The incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential psychosocial assessment and direct service delivery to eligible Veterans - including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnostic inferences within the clinical scope of practice
• Risk Assessment and Crisis Intervention: The incumbent will conduct timely assessment of Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs - evaluate risk - and initiate safety planning as appropriate
• Care Coordination: The incumbent links the Veteran with other community services - resources - and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence - health - and well-being
• Coordinating Readjustment Counseling and Outreach: The incumbent will maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services for those individuals engaged in the community at outreach events that may require follow-up readjustment counseling
• Team Cohesion and Coordination: Under the supervision of the Vet Center Director - the incumbent will actively participate in Vet Center staff meetings designed to promote team building and staff development through conjoint planning and problem solving - staff discussion of problematic cases - coaching and mentoring new Vet Center staff hires - and addressing issues of staff self­care
• Documentation/Administrative Responsibilities/Consultation: The incumbent will document all clinical interactions with eligible individuals and episodes of care coordination on their behalf as required by RCS policy
• Responsiveness to Other Duties as Assigned: The incumbent will proactively address all other duties as assigned and directed by the Vet Center Director
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00a-4:30p
• Some evenings and weekends required based on the needs of the Vet Center
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not available Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not available Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade) 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior work experience or military service experience
• 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: Not available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: PD150660 - 150670 NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker - Psychologist - Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor - and Marriage & Family Therapist
• Each discipline is announced separately - and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified.