Social Worker - Veterans Readjustment Counselor

Veterans Health Administration; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration in Indianapolis seeks a Social Worker (GS-11) to provide psychosocial assessment, treatment planning, and coordination of care for veterans. Eligible for Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) with potential award up to $200,000, subject to review by VAEducation Loan Repayment Services.

Applicants must meet basic requirements including CSWE-accredited MSW, English proficiency, and state licensure or certification.

Qualifications

• United States citizenship is required.
• English language proficiency in speaking and writing is required.
• Master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program is required.
• Licensure or certification to independently practice social work at MSW level; waiver possible at GS-9 for state prerequisites.

Skills

Knowledge of community resources

Psychosocial assessment

Treatment planning

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree in social work (CSWE-accredited)

Doctoral degree may substitute for one year of experience

Job description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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: Eligible candidates must meet possess a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in 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.
  1. Exception: This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment.

Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Grade Determinations

GS-11 (Full Performance Level):

• 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-09 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 and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

~AND~

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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.

The full performance level of this vacancy is 11.

Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.