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

Basic Requirements:

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9) - as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - enacted November 1 - 2000
• To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: 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)
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy
• Education: Must 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 if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master 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/
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Supervisory Social Worker - GS-13 Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment
• Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship - or equivalent supervised professional experience
• ~AND~ Licensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• ~AND~ Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition - the candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to independently organize work - set priorities - and meet multiple deadlines
• Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments and quality improvement
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers
• Ability to delegate authority - manage priorities - coordinate work - and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems - develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations - and use data effectively to manage workload - quality - performance - and productivity within the service
• Ability to provide staff training and development
• Preferred Experience: Knowledge and understanding of the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Knowledge of methods - principles - and theories sufficient to intervene and stabilize combat Veterans suffering from multiple diagnoses
• Ability to conduct psycho-social assessments and implement treatment plans for combat Veterans and their families
• Ability to establish and maintain referral networks through community outreach to provide services to Veterans
• Experience in working with Veterans - especially combat Veterans
• Experience in working with Veterans who were sexually traumatized/harassed while in the military
• Experience in providing family counseling services to Veterans and their family
• Experience working with combat Veterans and their families who have PTSD or readjustment issues and the ability to make independent judgments and recommendations about a number of serious and complex cases
• Special knowledge and skill in the field of Veterans in community resource identification and development - in public speaking and basic principles of education - in staff recruitment and development - and in program design and management
• Knowledge of VA and community resources available to Veterans and their family
• Developing and managing a clinic's budget and program funds
• Working knowledge of electronic records
• Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates and sets guidelines for clinical - therapeutic and treatment priorities
• Incumbent must have possession of supervisory and management skills
• 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-13
• 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

• Readjustment Counseling Service is a unique service within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that provides readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans - active military Service members whose service was in support of combat operations - who suffered a military sexual trauma - provided direct emergent medical care or mortuary services to casualties of war - or who served as a member of an unmanned aerial crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat zone or are of hostility - and their families
• Readjustment counseling consists of direct counseling services - community outreach (face-to-face connection) - and referral services to community providers - VA and non-VA
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The Supervisory Social Worker supervises both professional and nonprofessional staff including a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals of various performance levels who work in multiple locations (Vet Centers - Vet Center Outstations and Community Access Points) and in communities distant from the Vet Center through planned outreach - often in conjunction with a Mobile Vet Center
• Additional responsibilities/duties include - but are not limited to: Responsible for administrative and outreach staff service functions ensuring that the needs of individuals in their VSA are met
• Oversees the fiscal - contractual - and operational obligations of the community-based Vet Center
• This includes government vehicles and routing and emergent Mobile Vet Center deployment
• Responsible for the Vet Center's resource and fiscal management - monitoring control points - developing the annual budget - operating within that budget - and accounting for appropriated funds
• Analyses organizational and operational problems - develops and implements solutions that result in efficient operations and uses data to manage workload - quality - performance and productivity
• Leads the coordination and briefing during meetings with Congressional representatives and their staff
• Oversees services delivered by the Vet Center to include ensuring that outreach and counseling services are delivered in a manner consistent with RCS policy and that staff deliver services within the scope of their training and experience
• Takes the lead in planning - establishing - and implementing Vet Center policies and procedures - developing staff goals and objectives - and monitoring - coordinating and evaluating the work of all Vet Center staff
• Assures that all staff whom they supervise are aware of - and adhere to - all current VHA directives - state licensure standards - and VA-OIG expectations
• Conducts ongoing intensive reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies
• Provides direct readjustment counseling services within and outside of the Vet Center to include in-person and virtual services based on client preference - with the parameters of all VHA directives - state licensure standards - and VA-OIG expectations
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Monday - Friday - standard operational hours with occasional evenings and weekends based on operational need of the facility Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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 #: 64523A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized