Summary The Primary Care Clinic (PCC) Social Worker assumes responsibility for the provision of social work services to veterans and their families receiving care at Salisbury VA Medical Center (SVAMC), one of its affiliated Health Care Centers or Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) primary care clinics and specialty clinics. Responsibilities VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz\ua\UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf MAJOR DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: Clinical Functions: Incumbent is a professional social worker assigned to the SVAMC, HCC, or CBOC PCC or specialty clinics. The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated biopsychosocial problems of veterans referred to the clinic social worker. The incumbent completes brief biopsychosocial assessments and provides single session or short-term, solution focused counseling with individuals and families who may be in crisis; supportive counseling, case management and referral for resources and benefits. The incumbent: Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish effective therapeutic rapport with veterans/families referred by consultation, by self-referral, or by any member of the treatment team. The incumbent is able to work independently with veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. Must independently complete psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable. Must actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and collaborate with veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a veteran-centered treatment plan. Must possess a working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology. Must collaborate with VAMC staff or community agencies to ensure continuity of health services for veterans in need of follow up care. Incumbent will meet with veterans/family members as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner. Must serve as a liaison between veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. This involves coordination of veteran and family involvement in the development of treatment plans. Must possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling and/or supportive groups for veterans and families. Must provide consultation and education to veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and advance directives. This includes the incumbent's 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. Must be available to provide consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the veteran's health care planning, compliance with treatment, and discharge planning. Must maintain knowledge of veteran benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies. Must possess skills and knowledge to provide advocacy and case management services to veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist veterans in coping with loss and grief experiences from disability and terminal illness. Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. Must be knowledgeable of terms, treatment modalities and services used specifically to assess and treat individuals in crisis. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications 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. 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. If not fully licensed at an acceptable independent social work practice level, a candidate has 3 years to become fully licensed as a condition of employment. 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: 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-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. 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. Social Worker, GS-9: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the basic requirements 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: (This is the 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-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 basic requirements 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. Assignments: At the full performance level GS-11, social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. They are assigned to all program areas, including Medicine and Surgery, Primary and Specialty Care, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Extended Care, Homeless Services, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), Health Care Centers (HCCs) and other community based VA programs and clinics. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-185 social work series and may result in termination of employment. 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. 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. Failure to become licensed or certified within the proscribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-185 social work series and may result in termination of employment. For the GS-09, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment, the incumbent must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within 3 years of their appointment as a social worker. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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-9 to GS-11. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: There are no special physical qualifications to perform the work. The work requires the ability to move around an office and/or the facility. The work is performed in offices and meeting rooms. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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. 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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
