The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Social Worker serves in a collaborative and consultative capacity for the Primary Care Clinic, providing psychosocial assessment and case management services to Veterans referred for and identified to be in need of social work interventions. The incumbent assists with care coordination and access to care for Veterans. The scope of these services will vary and depend upon the nature of the psychosocial issues for which the Veteran has been referred. 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. 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/. 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-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 (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.) 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 GS-11. Physical Requirements: Must be able to walk/stand for at least 8 hours a day; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); clear speech; will be outside and inside; possible excessive noise, intermittent; work closely with others. Must be able to pass drivers physical. ["The incumbent will apply the PACT Social Work Practice Model endorsed by the National Social Work Program Office. The incumbent will provide psychosocial services in a timely fashion and will modify approach to the needs presented. Major duties include, but may not be limited to: The incumbent will conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members. The incumbent is an active participant in the treatment planning process of assigned cases with other disciplines. The incumbent will at times participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. The incumbent will provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate. The incumbent will provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits. The incumbent will act as a consultant to other team/staff members. The incumbent will provide consultation/education to other disciplines on social work practice and VA policy and procedure. The incumbent will act as a liaison between VA and community resources, to include outreach activities as needed. The incumbent will provide case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. The incumbent will address Advance Directives in accordance with the standards of their work area. The incumbent will provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate. The incumbent will document social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing the social work comprehensive assessment, triage assessment and case management notes and will ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. May perform other duties as required. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday\nTelework: Not available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000 / Social Worker PACT\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.