Social Worker at Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Redding, CA

kozmetickesluzby.vecnakraska.sk - Jobboard; Redding (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Social Worker in Redding, CA. This role involves providing comprehensive care to veterans experiencing complex medical and psychosocial challenges.

The ideal candidate will have a master's degree in social work, be licensed to practice, and possess strong communication and assessment skills. Responsibilities include assessments, treatment planning, and collaboration with an interdisciplinary team to ensure veterans receive the necessary support.

Qualifications

• Must have a master's degree in social work from an accredited institution.
• Must be licensed or certified to independently practice social work.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide care to veterans with various psychosocial problems.
• Conduct thorough assessments to identify underlying causes of distress.
• Facilitate community placements and coordinate services.

Skills

Ability to work with Veterans

Knowledge of community resources

Interpersonal communication skills

Psychosocial assessment abilities

Education

Master's degree in social work

Job description

Social Worker job at Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. Redding, CA.

Summary

The Patient Aligned Care Team Social Worker provides primary care to veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion - coordination - and chronic disease management. The social worker functions as a PACT member with a panel of veterans to ensure that health care meets their needs - as defined by the veteran. The social worker is assigned to Primary Care and covers Urgent Care and Specialty Clinics as well - where appropriate.

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
• 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
• 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 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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) 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
• 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: Social Worker - GS-9 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: (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
• Entry Level Assignments
• Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised - as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification
• Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing 6 social work case management
• acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity - in collaboration with the Veteran - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams
• maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals
• Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level - they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required - such as in a CBOC - unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice
• GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision
• 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: (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
• Preferred Experience: Medical Social Work Experience One year of practice at the graduate level
• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 11
• Physical Requirements: 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.

Duties

• The Social Worker provides care to veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical - psychiatric - emotional - behavioral - and psychosocial problems
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with - and assesses and treats the complicated psychosocial problems of - veterans and their families
• Provides psychosocial care of medically complex patients and offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment and care coordination of complex patients
• The Social Worker possesses advance skills and knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures - including acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses - substance abuse disorders - bereavement - common medications - and general medical terminology
• Participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team to formulate and implement treatment plans identifying the patients' problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and any assistance needed
• Receives referrals from any member of the interdisciplinary team - from veterans and/or their families who call or walk-in for assistance - and from community professionals
• Conducts thorough assessments to determine psychosocial problems that cause distress - often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care needs of veterans and family members - the underlying causes of the presenting problem - the interpersonal and environmental factors impacting the problem - and its effect on the patient's ability and desire to comply with the treatment recommendations by the multidisciplinary team
• These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition - untreated or under-treated mental health or substance abuse conditions - economic instability - legal problems - and inadequate housing and transportation
• Provides consultation and education to veterans and their families regarding community resources - VA benefits and specialty programs - and advance directives
• This requires knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs - and community programs as well as community agencies that are covered by Medicare - Medi-Cal - and VA pay to ensure veterans receive the services they need with the least amount of financial burden
• Helps the veterans and families understand the contributing factors to problems and discusses with them the pros and cons of possible short-term and long-term solutions while encouraging them to make positive and lasting changes to reduce stressors
• The PACT Social Worker provides wellness/prevention education and stress management - which includes knowledge in Whole Health - facilitates patient/family support groups - and participates in shared medical appointments as appropriate
• Assists veterans and their families with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability - terminal illness - and death
• Provides case management interventions for veterans with members of the interdisciplinary team to coordinate a collaborative effort to meet the agreed upon goals for veterans' treatment needs
• Facilitates community placements through collaboration with veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner
• Serves as a liaison between veterans - their families - the VA - and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services
• Represents the VA in the community by preparing presentations for community hospitals and community providers groups
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8am-4:30pm
• Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized