The incumbent social worker will be assigned as a social work services to Veterans and their families receiving Primary & Specialty Medicine care at the St. Cloud VA HCS-Max J. Beilke-Alexandria Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion, coordination and chronic disease management. 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: 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. Education Requirement: Master of Social Work: Applicants must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Note: 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. OR VA Sponsored Training Program: Current or past participants in a VA Sponsored Training Program who will or have graduated from the training program, has or is on track to complete your advance degree from an accredited program by the time of hire or appointment. Licensure Requirement: Appointment at the GS-11 Full Performance Level: Persons hired or reassigned to full performance 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. OR Appointment at the GS-9 (Entry or Developmental Level): 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 appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. OR VA Sponsored Training Program: For current VA Trainee Candidates, the three year period begins upon completion of the VA Sponsored Training Program and appointment as an entry/developmental level social worker. Grade Determinations: GS-9 None beyond the basic requirements. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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 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: 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 Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G39 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. ["A recruitment/relocation incentive of $5,000 (pre-taxed) has been authorized for Eligible, Highly Qualified applicants. The incumbent social worker will be assigned to provide social work services to Veterans and their families receiving Primary & Specialty Medicine care at the St. Cloud VA HCS-Max J. Beilke-Alexandria Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion, coordination and chronic disease management. The PACT social worker in this Veteran-Centric approach often functions as a care coordinator with a panel of Veterans to ensure that health care meets the needs, as defined by the Veteran. Social workers are uniquely prepared for this role by virtue of their education, training, and experience which prepares them to understand the person-in-situation and the influences that family and community have in impacting the health care needs of Veterans. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the PSM Clinic and/or their families. The incumbent is able to independently assess and treat Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, financial, legal and psychosocial problems. Effective social work in the Patient Aligned Care Team context often occurs over a series of several visits. Possess knowledge of the PACT team approach and the role of each health and allied health care team members as well as an understanding of the role of the social worker in the PACT model. Independently completes thorough biopsychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent has the skill to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. The incumbent is able to assess functional acuity of the Veteran and provide appropriate interventions, including psychosocial treatment, supportive therapy, including brief individual, group, and family therapy, and case management. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable. Actively participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions. Possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses,/injuries, substance abuse disorders, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology to formulate a treatment plan. Facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner. Community placements can involve but are not limited to referrals to group and family care homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health care programs, contract nursing homes, Community Living Centers, residential care homes, inpatient and outpatient hospice services. Conducts caregiver assessments and provides appropriate caregiver specific interventions and support. Serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. Independently implements treatment modalities and evidence ­based practices as well as provide educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families, including shared medical appointments. The social worker must be able to use and teach Veterans in the effective use of the My HealtheVet system. Must possess skill in using computer systems. Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and Advance Directives. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community programs. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]