Social Worker

We're Looking for a skilled Social Worker in the Veterans Health Administration based in Palo Alto, California. 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: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(9) as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106419 enacted November 1 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA all applicants must meet the following: 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). 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. 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 GS9 grade level. For the GS11 grade level and above the candidate must be licensed or certified. For appointments at the GS09 grade level VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent masters level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified social workers must maintain a full valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker GS9 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 problemsolving 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. Entry Level Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS9 gradelevel social workers are considered to be at the entrylevel and are closely supervised as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: 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. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required such as in a CBOC unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Social Worker GS11 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. 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 for a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic 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. Full Performance Level Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas including but not limited to: Inpatient or outpatient medicine surgery mental health neurology rehabilitation medicine and geriatrics. Employees provide professional independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: Assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse neglect exploitation and/or intimate partner violence. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services and incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS09 to GS11. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Services.

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.