Social Worker

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Child Care Subsidy

Federal retirement & 401K

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Social Worker for the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System to provide social work services to inpatients in medical/surgical and ICU units.

You will assess Veterans and their families, coordinate care, and support discharge planning in a multidisciplinary team. The role requires an MSW from a CSWE-accredited program and state licensure, with opportunities at GS-9 to GS-11 levels based on experience and credentials.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school.
• Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work.
• May qualify at GS-9 with grandfathering provisions or pending licensure completion.
• Knowledge of medical/mental health diagnoses and treatments.
• Ability to coordinate services and refer to community resources.

Responsibilities

• Provide social work services to inpatients in medical/surgical and ICU units.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments and develop treatment plans.
• Coordinate family conferences and serve as liaison to families.
• Deliver crisis intervention and case management across the care continuum.
• Support discharge planning and interdisziplinary care collaboration.
• Educate community care partners about VA benefits and services.

Skills

Veteran-centric approach

Psychosocial assessment

Crisis intervention

Case management

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication with families

Education

Master's in Social Work (CSWE-accredited)

Licensure: state social work independent practice

Job description

Summary

These positions are located in Social Work Service at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. The incumbent provides social work services to the inpatient medical/surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units. The incumbent is responsible for the management - coordination - and provision of social work services to Veterans and their families.

Qualifications

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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Education: Have a master's 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
• NOTE: A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's 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 GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• Exception
• For assignments at the GS-9 level - VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker GS-09 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• 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
• 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 and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• 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
• Social Worker GS-11 Experience and Licensure
• Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings - (VA or non VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level
• OR 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
• 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
• 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
• 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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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 Social Worker must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies
• The Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands - exercise patience - and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center - standing for extended periods of time - and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties of this position will include - but are not limited to: Provide social work services to the inpatient medical/surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units
• Responsible for the management - coordination - and provision of social work services to Veterans and their families
• Complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the presenting problem - in-home factors impacting the problem - and obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments
• Conduct psychosocial assessments as appropriate for treatment planning
• Independently provide crisis intervention services if needed - seeking to address cause - as well as the presenting complaint
• Coordinate family conferences - and serves as liaison to family members
• Formulate a care plan with goals - objectives - barriers - and needs
• Effectively manage crises and can effectively use his/her problem-solving skills in an independent manner to assist the Veteran - family - staff - and community providers in solving problems
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills in patient-focused discussions with team members - peers - and supervisor
• Provide case management services to Veterans and families - as needed - throughout the continuum of care
• Participate in discharge planning with interdisciplinary team members and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate
• Provide treatment intervention in collaboration with the Veteran and family - guardian - caregiver - interdisciplinary treatment team - and community members
• Implement treatment modalities to provide supportive counseling for individuals - families - and groups
• Establish therapeutic relationships with Veterans and families - mediate difficulties - and measure outcomes of treatment interventions
• Assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability - terminal illness - and death
• Coordinate community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs - and community agency programs
• Provide education to community care partners regarding general VA benefits and services during care coordination for Veterans
• Follow Veteran/Caregiver through continuum of health care
• Work Schedule: Full time - Monday - Friday - 07:30am - 4:00pm Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #:923860 - 923860 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized