This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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: 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. 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 Basic Requirements for Licensure. 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). 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-GS11. Physical Requirements:The work requires the ability to move around the office and facility. The work is performed in offices and meeting rooms and is largely sedentary. The work can be mentally and psychologically demanding and stressful, and the ability to utilize effective coping and self-care strategies is essential. ["The incumbent is a Social Worker in the Geriatric (GERI) Clinic Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), which delivers Veterans, their families, and caregivers, comprehensive care that focuses on health promotion, prevention measures, and management of chronic disease issues. The social worker functions as a care coordinator with a panel of Veterans to ensure that health care meets Veteran needs, as defined by the Veteran, his/her family, and/or caregiver. The incumbent is responsible for independently conducting psychosocial assessments to identify Veteran strengths, needs, social support systems, disabilities, and barriers to accessing needed services and available treatment options. This is done in collaboration with other service providers, the Veteran, available family members, caregivers, and/or significant others. The incumbent develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and she/he measures outcomes of interventions. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of issues and needs of Veterans from multiple eras and backgrounds, with varying physical limitations, psychological needs and age-associated mental health, substance abuse issues, physical conditions, and gender-specific needs. The incumbent social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The incumbent has general knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, and non-service-connected pensions. Incumbent facilitates referrals based upon Veterans needs and eligibility. The incumbent independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services. The incumbent will attend all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, Social Work staff meetings, other committees) as appropriate. The incumbent has a working knowledge of VA Video Teleconferencing (VTC), to allow Veterans to meet with the VA healthcare provider, in a virtual medical room, using encrypted video. Advance Care Planning: Ability to: Assist Veteran with completion of advance directive, living wills, and advance care planning. Provide extensive education and information as it applies to advance care planning. Assist Veteran/family through the complexity of ensuring Veteran's wishes are communicated to health care providers and significant others. Assessment: Ability to: Utilize the PACT Template assessments to synthesize information into a working document that provides direction in determining the level of care, level of case management, and follow up. Interviewing: Ability to: Establish a professional rapport with Veterans, their families, and caregivers to create an atmosphere conducive to sharing information. Lead interviews to elicit appropriate information and assembles relevant facts to prepare social histories, assessments, and reports. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30AM - 4:00PM Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: May be authorized. Telework Ad-Hoc work can be performed on an as needed basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Social Worker/PDF02848, PDF02849, and PD0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Amy.Haley@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. This position is in the Excepted Service. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Selectee may be required to work at any VA Maine Healthcare System campus, as needed. May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment."]

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