Social Worker- Behavioral Health Integration Program (Bhip)

Summary

The Battle Creek VA Medical Center's Psychiatry service is recruiting two Social Workers to serve in their Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) at the Wyoming Michigan Clinic. This position provides an array of case management, care coordination, and clinical psychotherapy/recovery services. The incumbent may maintain a small caseload (up to 20% of a full-time therapist) of psychotherapy clients but functions primarily as a case manager.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

04/23/2024 to 05/06/2024

• Salary

$82,994 - $107,889 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 11

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Location

2 vacancies in the following location:

• Wyoming, MI

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-1-2 days per pay period

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent -

• Work schedule

Full-time -

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

11

• Job family (Series)

0185 Social Work

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Not Required

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBSR-12395278-24-AP

• Control number

788012300

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This job is open to

• The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

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Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Major Duties of this position include:

Comprehensive Case Management Assessment and Reassessments: Completes a comprehensive assessment of the concerns, needs, and preferences of the Veteran and their family or caregiver.

The assessment includes elements such as military history, social supports, housing, transportation, education and employment, income and finances, and initial care plan. Subsequent reassessments/monitoring are created in collaboration with the Veteran, their family or caregiver, and inter-professional team, as clinically indicated.

Goal(s) and Resource Identification: Identifies and prioritizes the Veteran's and their family/caregiver's desired or expected goal(s) and outcome(s), as well as resource assessment to identify available benefits, assistive options, and appropriate services and resources within and outside VHA. Resources may include existing natural supports, and internal skills and coping mechanisms.

Care Planning, Implementation, and Communication: Plans and implements a care plan through coordination and collaboration with the Veteran, the family, or caregivers, and VHA and community providers.

The intensity and duration of CM services are dependent on the Veteran's care needs. The CM assists Veterans/caregivers with system navigation, and linking them in a timely manner to health, mental health, health education, self-management and social services, community-based resources, or benefits, as clinically indicated. Facilitates proactive, patient-centric communication and information sharing between the Veteran or Service member, their family or caregiver, providers, and other care team members.

Therapeutic Engagement and Psychosocial Intervention: Will engage, develop, and maintain therapeutic relationships with the Veteran, families, and caregivers, utilizing resiliency-based, recovery-oriented, Veteran-centered communication and practice techniques (e.g., Health Education, Health Coaching, Share Decision Making, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Work, Psychosocial Problem Solving, Strength-Based Work) as well as time-limited psychotherapy to facilitate progress, growth, and positive lifestyle changes.

If providing psychotherapy services, the CM conducts psychosocial screening and evaluations for the wide range of mental conditions utilizing best practices for initial and follow-up assessment (i.e., measurement-based care), as well as participates in the development of appropriate treatment plans. The CM provides emergency/crisis intervention services to outpatients experiencing acute psychological crises, and provides follow up care as needed.

Care Collaboration, Coordination, Referrals, and Transitions: The CM coordinates referrals to ensure the appropriate level and type of care. working collaboratively with VA teams across BCVAMC and across VISN 10.

The CM manages transitions of the Veteran to other interfacility VA programs (e.g., Tele-Mental Health Clinical Resource Hub), as well as other VHA, DoD, federal state, and local home and community-based services (to include the Office of Community Care). Program and Outcome Evaluation: The CM uses case management best practice processes, procedures, tools, and templates in their work to allow for better tracking, monitoring, and reporting of quality and performance metrics.

Documentation: The CM completes all clinical charting and documentation accurately and in a timely manner as required by and according to procedures outlined by applicable accrediting organizations, VHA, Medical Center, and Service policies.

Professional Responsibilities: The CM engages in various administrative activities, to include peer review to assess the quality of professional care standards provided in the organization, participating in team-, clinic-, and service-based staff meetings, and engagement in continuing education activities to maintain professional licensure and any certification, to include Basic Life Support.

The CM maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standard, Joint Commission standards, and facility standards. The CM may serve on committees, work groups, and task forces as needed.

Other Duties as Assigned: The CM is responsible for all other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Full Time: Mon-Friday 8:00-4:30

Telework: Limited- 1 to 2 days per pay period or at supervisors discretion

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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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.

• 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

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 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/.

• 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-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

• 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).

Current employees 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).

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.

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.

Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work.

Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis.

Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work.

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-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.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 September 10, 2019

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.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.