VA Portland Health Care System is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings. VAPORHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Portland, Oregon, outpatient and residential facilities in Vancouver, Washington, and 10 Community Based Outpatient Clinics. 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- 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 (MSW) from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), or other master's in science in social work (MSSW), social service administration (MSSA), social service (MSS), social administration (MSA) or social welfare as accredited by the CSWE. Those without the required master's degree will be disqualified. Licensure - Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's 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 GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. Experience GS-11 - Must have 1-year post-MSW experience, or possess a doctoral degree in social work that may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. You must meet the qualifications within 30 days of the closing date of this JOA.Grade Determinations:GS-9 Requirements: This is the entry level for social workers and is used for social workers with less than 1 year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. (If enough applicants apply at the GS-11 level, it is possible that applicants who are only eligible at the GS-09 level will NOT be referred for this specific vacancy, as GS-11 with independent license is highly preferred.)Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. GS-11 Requirements: This is the full performance level for social workers. GS-11 Social Workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. They are assigned to all program areas, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. (This is the preferred level for this vacancy.)Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. References: VHA 5005, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Use of fingers; Hearing (aid may be permitted) . Environmental Requirements: Working closely with others. Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Must have a valid driver's license and proof of insurance. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: The social worker develops the psychosocial plan of care, following advanced assessment and screening, to improve the patient's ability to achieve optimal psychosocial functioning. The social worker includes the veteran's goals of care in the plan of care. The patient-centered, plan of care may include individual and family counseling, long-term and advance care planning, non-pharmacological pain intervention, stress management, caregiver support, psycho-educational programming, and grief and bereavement counseling. The social worker partners with the interdisciplinary team to enhance the Veteran's psychosocial treatment plan, experience, and progress toward treatment goals. The social worker is independently responsible for crisis intervention and/or suicide prevention in home environments. The social worker functions without additional staff support or supervision in patient homes. Crises may include but are not limited to housing, finances, psychiatric relapse, suicidality, or violence. The social worker will assess for suicidality and self-harm, perform appropriate interventions, and create a safety plan for the Veteran. When responding to suicidality or a psychiatric emergency, the social worker will collaborate with first responders to ensure optimal home and pre-hospital care. The social worker will assist with admission to inpatient programs as needed. The HBPC social worker follows applicable protocols when responding to medical or psychological emergencies. The HBPC social worker completes documentation in accordance with applicable policy and standards. The social worker maintains an acceptable level of productivity and performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0730-1600 or 0800-1630 Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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