The Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker is responsible for the management, coordination, and provision of social work services to Veterans and their families. The incumbent is responsible for completing and conducting psychosocial assessments, advance directives, treatment planning, case management, individual, group and family counseling, and discharge planning for Veterans admitted to Inpatient Psychiatry Units located in the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS). 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. 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. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: 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: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, an 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: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. Preferred Experience: Knowledge of and experience in providing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations for mental health diagnoses, as well as providing these services in part of an interdisciplinary team. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Experience working in crisis services related to mental health, suicide, violence and/or abuse, neglect. Knowledge and ability to provide brief behavioral health interventions for mental health diagnoses that include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and severe and persistent mental illnesses. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, evaluating assigned program areas. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker GS-0185 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 9 to GS 11. Physical Requirements: Walking or standing (8) hours; 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 Environmental Factors: Outside and Inside work; Excessive noise, intermittent; Working closely with others ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Clinical Functions: Possess skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans on acute psychiatry and/or their families Complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families Participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family Participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of the treatment plan. 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. Facilitate discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families. Serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. Possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families. Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and advance directives. Possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. Administrative Functions: Responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility. Serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and Chief of Social Work Services Keep supervisor apprised of complex problems and recommend solutions. Demonstrate knowledge and skills using software applications for drafting documents and data management. Maintain a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standards, Joint Commission standards, and facility standards. Work Schedule: 8:00 - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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