Summary

The incumbent is a clinical social worker at the VA Western Colorado Health Care System (VAWCHCS). The social worker's primary assignment is the emergency room - and acute floor social work services. This person may float to different departments based on factors such as staffing and demand for services. The incumbent may provide support and cross coverage to other areas such as primary care during absences for leave and/or when the volume/workload demands additional staff support.

Qualifications

***This is an open continuous announcement until December 31 - 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** 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 - You must be a citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) Education and/or Experience Combination - You must possess 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
• Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work
• License or Certification* - You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• *Exception - For assignments at the GS-9 level - VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• 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
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker Quals GS-0185-9 GS-09 Social Worker -Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: · Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• · 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 Quals GS-0185-11 GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 - you must possess 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
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing social work case management
• acting as a patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members
• In collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams - identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity
• Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals.-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 - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: · 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 - 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.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: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies
• Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands - exercise patience - and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation - if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• This position requires a valid state driver's license allowing independent operation of a motor vehicle as it local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans
• The position requires significant travel in the community - through use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements - to meet with representatives/stakeholders who provide assistance and support to Veterans in clinics - medical centers - Community Clinics - etc
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing
• viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Works within the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan
• Conducts and completes a comprehensive assessment in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - Veteran - family members - and significant others as appropriate
• Uses a range of treatment and skills needed for all Veterans - including visually impaired and geriatric Veterans - related to their physical limitations - psychological needs - age associated illnesses - and conditions
• Utilizes knowledge of the problems of advancing age with respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population - being sensitive to human growth and development - age-appropriate needs and concerns of geriatric Veterans - and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of the Veteran population
• Makes rapid assessments and develop crisis management plans for referral/admission to mental health inpatient programs
• Provides the veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling
• Collaborates with other service providers in assessing and reassessing Veteran needs
• Educates Veterans and/or caregivers of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of their surrogate decision-maker
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees - volunteers - consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies
• Participates in developing new programs within the Acute Care setting
• Collaborates with staff in mental health - substance use - community home health - hospice teams - and other allied healthcare professions to address the end-of-life - mental health - psychosocial - and spiritual needs of Veterans - families - and caregivers
• Coordinates with home hospice - CLC - other long-term care facilities or skilled nursing facilities - dialysis centers - and/or contract remote medical providers
• Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs
• Educates the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his/her surrogate decision-maker
• Assesses the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the veteran - family members and significant others
• In the assessment - the incumbent will highlight the veteran's strengths - limitations - and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional abilities
• Utilizes a range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including visually impaired and geriatric patients related to their physical limitations - psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions
• Provides care using knowledge of the problems of advancing age and diversification of the aging veteran population - being sensitive to human growth and development - age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric veteran and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this veteran population
• Develops treatment plans and set achievable treatment goals with the veteran/family
• Updates the treatment plan if there is a change in the patient's condition or needs
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 529040
• 529030 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized