Social Worker MH RRTP

This position is eligible for Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Major duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Provides independent clinical social work services to Veterans participating in the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Program (MH RRTP) as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team. Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments to identify Veterans' mental health, medical, functional, environmental, financial, housing, family, and other psychosocial needs. Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized treatment plans in collaboration with Veterans, families, and interdisciplinary team members. Provides individual, group, family, and couples counseling using evidence-based and empirically supported treatment approaches. Provides case management and care coordination services from admission through discharge to ensure continuity of care. Addresses complex psychosocial problems and provides crisis intervention, safety assessment, and coordination of emergency or specialized services when needed. Coordinates admission, transition, and discharge planning in collaboration with Veterans, families, treatment team members, and community providers. Establishes appropriate aftercare arrangements that are consistent with the Veteran's treatment goals, preferences, risk factors, and level of independence. Provides education and consultation to Veterans and families regarding VA benefits, community resources, specialty programs, advance directives, and supportive services. Links and refers Veterans to VA medical center programs, specialty mental health services, VA Regional Offices, government agencies, and community-based organizations. Advocates for Veterans and their families to promote comprehensive, equitable, culturally responsive, and timely delivery of services. Provides consultation to interdisciplinary treatment team members and facility staff regarding psychosocial needs, treatment barriers, health care planning, and discharge concerns. Completes timely clinical documentation, medical record entries, workload reports, statistical reports, and other required accountability activities. Participates in program planning, quality improvement, staff education, professional development, special assignments, and clinical supervision of unlicensed social workers when qualified.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Qualifications

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: Citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Education: Must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
• Licensure: Candidates must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

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.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

GS-11 Social Worker: Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. 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 must be licensed or certified in a state at the independent practice level. OR 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, educational, and other 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, 8 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).

Preferred Experience:

• Experience providing mental health and SUD services to individuals.
• Experience delivering evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for PTSD (e.g., Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE)
• Experience facilitating trauma-focused group and individual therapy.
• Ability to work effectively with a multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Ability to work with individuals who present with complex psychosocial needs.
• Experience with crisis management, care coordination, and discharge planning for individuals with complex behavioral health needs.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Full performance level: The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements:

• Light lifting (under 15 pounds);
• light carrying (under 15 pounds);
• reaching above shoulder;
• use of fingers;
• both hands required;
• walking;
• standing;
• hearing (aid permitted);
• emotional stability;
• ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.