Summary This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT for Social Worker positions located at Tomah VA Medical Center and surrounding CBOCs. This announcement will be posted until September 30, 2024 and can be taken down at anytime. Social Work positions are available in Caregiver Support Program (CSP), Community Living Center (CLC), Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT), Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP), and Outpatient Mental Health. Responsibilities This is an Open and Continuous announcement for multiple positions and can be taken down at any time. This announcement will be posted until September 30, 2024. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available for the Tomah VA Medical Center and it's surrounding CBOCs. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be January 2, 2024, with subsequent cut-off date for referral on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. *Expired Applicants: Applicants will remain active for 6 months after their initial application is received and/or updated. After that time, you must update your application through your USAJobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period. **Due to the multi-specialty availability of this posting, below is a brief overview of specialties; A Social Worker with the Department of Veterans Affairs interacts with Veterans, family members, significant others, and VA and non-VA community health care providers, community agencies and resource programs as Veterans move through the health care continuum; Actively participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and collaborates with veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a client centered treatment plan; Develops professional relationships with the Veterans and similar-interest groups where he or she is ready to engage in treatment; Implements working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology; Serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services, coordinating veteran and family involvement in the development of treatment plans and aftercare; and Provides consultation as needed to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning. Social work positions can be in medical, specialty, or behavioral health services. These positions can provide care to Veterans in inpatient, residential, community or office-based settings. Openings can be in various areas throughout the hospital. Some current openings include the following: Caregiver Support Program (CSP) Social Work Case Manager: Offers clinical services to caregivers of eligible and covered Veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system. The program's mission is to promote the health and well-being of family caregiver who care for our Nation's Veterans through education, resources, support and service. The CSP Social Work Case Manager is pivotal in providing support and navigating resources to aide eligible caregivers in his or her caregiving journey. Interventions include telephone support calls, case management, facilitation support groups and community outreach. Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT): Assigned to the Tomah or Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the needs of Veterans. PACT provides Veterans with comprehensive case management that is patient-centered and team-coordinated. Veterans enrolled in VA primary care are assigned to a PACT for continuity of care over time and are offered navigation to services and benefits for which they are eligible. Community Living Center (CLC): Responsibilities to the care management of Veterans in a long term care setting. Must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans. Primary duties include, but are not limited to: the completion of comprehensive psychosocial assessments; coordination of Veteran-centered treatment, care and discharge plans; provision of professional social work services that encourage and foster the maximum degree of independent functioning safely feasible for the Veteran; and providing care which incorporates, respects and honors the Veteran's preferences in order to achieve the highest possible quality of life for the Veteran. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Telework: May be available (based on agency policy) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized to highly qualified individuals. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Driver License Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination/screening. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications Basic Requirements: United States 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. 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/. English Language Proficiency. Social Workers Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: GS-9 Social Worker: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates 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 Social Worker: 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-II-G39-7 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: 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. Assignments: This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, in order to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. They independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Social workers serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. 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 off GS-9 and GS-11. Preferred Experience: Experience in Mental Health. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.