Social Worker

We're Looking for a skilled Social Worker in the Veterans Health Administration based in Wilmington, North Carolina. 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. English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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 Master of Social Work. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Licensure. Must have current License Clinical Social Work (LCSW). Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS0185 series in VHA must be licensed by a state to independently practice social work at the Advanced Masters Degree level. (LICENSE REQUIRED) Grade Determinations:GS11 Social Worker 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. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. 1. Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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: Mental Health Experience Must maintain a valid Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification at all times. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS11. Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position usable vision color vision hearing or speech may be required. However in most cases a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

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.