Social Worker Out Patient

We're Looking for a skilled Social Worker Out Patient in the Veterans Health Administration based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

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: Noncitizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Have a masters 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 masters 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Grade Determination: Social Worker (GS11 Full Performance Level) Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of postMSW experience equivalent to the GS9 grade level in the field of health care or other social workrelated settings (VA or nonVA 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. Specialized Experience GS01859: Individuals assigned as GS9 grade level social workers are at the entry level and are closely supervised as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. GS9 entry level social workers have less than 1year postmasters level experience and may not yet have received their license but are working towards acquiring licensure. 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 an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veterans strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity in collaboration with the Veteran family and interdisciplinary treatment teams maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Specialized Experience GS018511: Psychosocial Screening/Assessment/Planning. The social worker will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team the Veteran family members and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veterans strengths limitations and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veterans functional status. Referral to service providers. Resource Usage/development the social worker will refer the Veteran to needed services. Social worker understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it services the best interest of the Veterans/family. Social worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. The Social worker will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. The social worker will provide the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. 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 socioeconomic 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. Preferred Experience: Experience with discharge planning preferred Physical Requirements: The incumbent 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. The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands with reasonable accommodation if necessary without endangering the health and safety of the Social Worker or others. Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service. Due to a critical staffing shortage 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference for this job announcement. 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 SF50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF50 must identify the position title series grade step tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases more than one SF50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held This position is covered by localitybased comparability pay. Narrative responses to the knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

What’s on Offer

The role offers excellent opportunities for top performers to further develop their competencies as a social worker and improving the lives of people.