Summary

This position is located in Social Work Service - Boise VA Medical Center - Boise - ID. The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary (BHIP) Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Social Worker provides psychosocial assessments and treatment to veterans needing interventions related to General Mental Health and substance use disorders including case management - individual - couples - family - and group psychotherapy. The incumbent reports to the SUD Outpatient Program - works closely with the BHIP team.

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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• (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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• 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 - 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 - 8 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Duties

• Duties: A
• Clinical Functions: Incumbent is an social worker assigned to the Behavioral Health Outpatient Program - SUD Outpatient Program and Social Work Service
• The social worker will develop an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the veteran - family members and significant others
• The goal of the 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 - formulate a diagnosis - and lay the foundation for the treatment plan - if necessary
• The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for general mental health services for all adult patients
• The incumbent must be able to identify services needed - refer to appropriate services - and function within a multi-disciplinary setting
• They must be able to effectively communicate the needs of veterans to a multi-disciplinary team
• Must possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care
• The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principals of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness
• Must be able to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• Must possess a working knowledge and experience in the use of mental health diagnosis
• Must actively participate as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as inter disciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a treatment plan
• Must 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 Must serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources to ensure thorough delivery of services
• Must possess fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures in order to implement treatment modalities - provide counseling - supportive groups and or case management for Veterans and families
• Must provide education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources - VA benefits - specialty programs and available health services
• This includes the incumbents' knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating communitybased services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community programs
• Must be available to work with other treatment team and staff members in order to identify psychosocial needs as well as transitional and/or readjustment needs of Veterans and/or families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veterans health care planning - case management - compliance with treatment and discharge planning
• Under supervision of a licensed social worker - must provide emergency/crisis intervention services to Veterans experiencing acute psychological crisis - help to stabilize these individuals - assisting in arrangements for transfer to a psychiatric facility for inpatient care if necessary and providing follow up care as needed
• B
• Administrative Functions: The incumbent: Is responsible for supporting the mission - policies - and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs - the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and the facility
• (2) Is willing to serve on committees and work groups at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and/or Chief of Social Work Services
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: GS-185-11 - Social Worker GS 11 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized