Open Continuous Social Worker

We're Looking for a skilled Open Continuous Social Worker in the Veterans Health Administration based in Shelbyville, Indiana. 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. 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. (Indiana requires Licensed Clinical Social workerLCSW) 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 appointments at the GS9 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 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 with evidenced based practice of psychotherapy Grade Determinations:GS9Experience Education and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following (Knowledge Skills amp Abilities) KSAs:(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomiccultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counselingskills.(b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and theirfamily members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan identifying theVeterans problems strengths weaknesses coping skills and assistance needed.(c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals families andgroups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizingsupportive problem solving or crisis intervention techniques.(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicatewith clients staff and representatives of community agencies.(e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses disabilities andtreatment procedures. This includes acute chronic and traumaticillnesses/injuries common medications and their effects/side effects and medicalterminology. GS 11Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS11 grade level requirescompletion of a minimum of one year of postMSW experience equivalent to the GS9grade level in the field of health care or other social workrelated settings (VA or non VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.OREducation. In addition to meeting basic requirements a doctoral degree in socialwork from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year ofprofessional social work experience in a clinical setting. In addition to the experience above candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals tocommunity and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinateservices.(b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatmentinterventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic culturalethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds.(c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses disabilities and treatmentprocedures (i.e. acute chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries commonmedications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology) to formulate atreatment plan.(d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working withindividuals families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatricmedical and social problems to achieve treatment goals.(e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers social work graduatestudents and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impactof psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 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 or GS 11.Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory qualification and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Physical Requirements: Periods of walking standing bending sitting

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.