Summary The VA healthcare Network Upstate New York is currently recruiting for one Social Worker for the Mental Health Program in the Social Work Service at the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York. The Social Worker functions as part of the Mental Health Staff. The Social Worker may provide services in more than one program or clinic and may be required to travel depending on assignment. Responsibilities Major Duties of Position: 1. Provides psychosocial assessment and diagnoses mental disorders based on assignment and clinical privileges. 2. Provides education with recovery-oriented core principles to patients, family members and significant others. 3. Provides targeted evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for individuals, couples, groups, families and eligible caregivers. 4. Provides consultation to VA staff and community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients. 5. Documents results of assessments, consultations and interventions. 6. Develops, implements and documents the recommended plan of care for patients. 7. Provides clinical services through the use of TeleHealth when clinically appropriate and applicable to setting. 8. Collaborates with patient's interdisciplinary team, including participation in treatment team meetings/huddles. 9. Initiates and promotes communication among medical staff and mental health staff, patients, their families and caregivers to facilitate the treatment process. 10. Attends training and uses evidence-based treatment protocols for patient centered trauma informed treatment as appropriate to assignment. 11. May provide supervision of trainees with supervisory approval. 12. Performs case finding and outreach to identify and screen patients for psychosocial needs. 13. Demonstrates the ability to evaluate their own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, supervision and other organizational means. 14. Is responsible for assessment, management and follow up on psychiatric emergencies in the setting to which they are assigned. 15. Performs other related duties as assigned. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS 1. The incumbent is responsible for supporting the mission, policies and procedures of VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), the facility, Social Work Service and Mental Health Service. 2. May serve on committees, work groups and task forces at the facility, VISN, or VA Central Office levels with supervisory approval. 3. Keeps supervisor apprised of problems and recommends solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. 4. Is responsible for furthering own professional growth through education, appropriate to area of assignment. 5. Provides coverage during staff absences within the assigned work group and as requested by supervisor. 6. Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with facility and discipline specific standards and the complexity of the assignment 7. Participates in meetings with patient specific clinical teams to provide advocacy and resources. 8. Shares with colleagues knowledge gained from clinical practice and training relevant to the field of Social Work. 9. Comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program actively promote awareness of diversity and inclusion in Social Work practice. 10. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical documentation required by the Medical Center, VISN, VHA or oversight agencies. 11. Completes administrative duties including facilitating timely scheduling of appointments, follow up on related issues, and responding to all forms of communication from patients, colleagues and community partners. 12. Assists in the design, development and implementation of clinical programs. 13. Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the program to which assigned. 14. Assists in ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical practice and program to which assigned. 15. Complies with national and local performance measures, including advance care planning and timely completion of clinical reminders. 16. Complies with all procedures and standards for documentation including accurate use of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) coding. 17. Attends and participates in administrative and clinical meetings held by Social Work, Mental Health and Medical Center leadership as requested. 18. Attends individual and group supervision, team meetings related to assignment and work group as appropriate. 19. Represents the Medical Center, VISN or VHA at professional or community events and committees. 20. Complies with reporting procedures related to abuse and neglect and privacy (See VHA Directive 1605.01, Privacy and Release of Information). 21. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21O60-A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications Basic Requirements: Citizenship Be a citizen of the United States. 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 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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. c. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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: Running psychosocial groups References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. ( THIS IS A REQUIRED DOCUMENT) Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.