Social Worker

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

The Successful Applicant

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 01/10/2022.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. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS185 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 censure/certification examinations. For Battle Creek VA Medical Center this is at the GS9 entry level only. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English. Physical Requirements. Preferred Experience: Due to the nature of work the preferred candidate will be fully licensed at the independent practice level.Grade Determinations:GS9 Social WorkerExperience Education and Licensure. GS9 is the entry level grade for the GS185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of postMSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Social workers at the GS9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification.Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition the candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: Ability to provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) and the differential influences of the environment society and culture. Ability to work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems utilizing individual group and family counseling skills. Work with more complex problems is done under close supervision. With guidance from the social work supervisor ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan identifying the patients problems strengths weaknesses coping skills and assistance needed. Basic knowledge of psychosocial treatment modalities and under supervision 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 with clients staff and representatives of community agencies. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. 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. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents data management and tracking. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. GS11 Social WorkerExperience Education and Licensure. Promotion to the GS11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of 1 year of postMSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or nonVA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR In addition to meeting basic requirements a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social workmay be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs: Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services. Ability to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan identifying the patients problems strengths weaknesses coping skills and assistance needed in collaboration with the patient family and interdisciplinary treatment team. Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) and the differential influences of the environment society and culture. Knowledge and experience in the use 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. Knowledge of psychosocial treatment and ability to independently implement treatment modalities in working with individuals families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals. This requires independent judgment and skill in utilizing supportive problem solving or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to independently provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals groups and families. Social workers must practice within the bounds of their license or certification. For example some states may require social workers providing psychotherapy to have a clinical level of licensure. Ability to provide consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Ability to provide orientation and coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students. Ability to serve as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements. Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences research studies or other organized means. Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents data management and tracking especially those programs in use by VHA. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G39. Qualification Standards for Social Workers.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 GS9 to GS11 Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary. It typically requires sitting with sustained periods of concentration. There will be some walking standing bending and carrying of relatively light objects. The position may also require stopping reaching lifting pulling and other moderate exertion or strain. Incumbent may occasionally have to walk some distance to a meeting.

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.