Social Worker
The PACT Social Worker is an integral member of the health care team, collaborating with other team members to facilitate improved health outcomes and adherence to care.The Social Worker in this Veteran-centric approach often functions as a care coordinator to ensure that health care meets the needs, as defined by the Veteran. Social Workers are uniquely prepared for this role by virtue of their education, training, and experience which prepares them to understand the person-in-situation and influences that family and community have in impacting the health-care needs of Veterans. Duties include, but are not limited to:
Conducts thorough assessments of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care; Coordinates with VA staff and community agencies to assist in problem solving as needed; Interventions to increase access to care, including transportation assistance and advance directives; Assists with medical bills, financial aid services and strategies to increase income (employment, vocational rehabilitation, VA benefits, disability) and/or reduce expenses; Finds the appropriate housing for the patient's level of need (affordable independent housing, homeless shelters, group and family care homes, Veterans Homes, assisted living, nursing homes, respite care, hospice care) and other necessary services to assist with functional decline. Work Schedule:
Monday - Friday, 8:
00 am - 4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required Basic Requirements:
United States Citizenship:
Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education:
Master's degree in Social Work from a school of social work that is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Licensure / Certification:
Licensure or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Language:
Proficient in spoken and written English. Grade Determinations:
GS-09:
This is the entry level grade for the GS-0185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Social workers at the GS-09 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
Ability to provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, 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 patient's 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. GS-11:
Experience:
A minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education:
Adoctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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 patient's 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 socio-economic, 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 Veteran Health Administration (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. Preferred
Experience:
Experience in Medical Social Work or Case Management. References:
VA Handbook 5005/50, 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 GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements:
The work is primarily sedentary.Typically, the employee sits comfortably to perform the job tasks. The position will require a moderate level of keyboarding, standing (up to 2 hours), walking (up to 2 hours), bending, and moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
Conducts thorough assessments of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care; Coordinates with VA staff and community agencies to assist in problem solving as needed; Interventions to increase access to care, including transportation assistance and advance directives; Assists with medical bills, financial aid services and strategies to increase income (employment, vocational rehabilitation, VA benefits, disability) and/or reduce expenses; Finds the appropriate housing for the patient's level of need (affordable independent housing, homeless shelters, group and family care homes, Veterans Homes, assisted living, nursing homes, respite care, hospice care) and other necessary services to assist with functional decline. Work Schedule:
Monday - Friday, 8:
00 am - 4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required Basic Requirements:
United States Citizenship:
Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education:
Master's degree in Social Work from a school of social work that is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Licensure / Certification:
Licensure or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Language:
Proficient in spoken and written English. Grade Determinations:
GS-09:
This is the entry level grade for the GS-0185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Social workers at the GS-09 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
Ability to provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, 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 patient's 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. GS-11:
Experience:
A minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education:
Adoctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. In addition, the candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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 patient's 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 socio-economic, 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 Veteran Health Administration (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. Preferred
Experience:
Experience in Medical Social Work or Case Management. References:
VA Handbook 5005/50, 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 GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements:
The work is primarily sedentary.Typically, the employee sits comfortably to perform the job tasks. The position will require a moderate level of keyboarding, standing (up to 2 hours), walking (up to 2 hours), bending, and moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.
- Department:
0185 Social Work - Salary Range:
$51,440 to $80,912 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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