Career Center

The incumbent has primary assignment in the support of behavioral health services in the outpatient Mental Health Clinic and serves as a key member of the Behavioral Health Integrated Program (BHIP) team. The outpatient Mental Health Clinic is one of the functional units providing psychological services to the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center/Eastern Colorado Health Care System. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/30/2022. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship. Education. Possess 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. For grades below or at the full performance level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent master's level within 3 years of their appointment as a social worker. Licensure. Possess a full and unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English. Grade Determinations: GS-9: Basic requirements as described above. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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. GS-11: Completion of a minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience); OR, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G39. Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-185. 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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. Duties include but not limited to: Must actively participate in the psychosocial therapeutic treatment of Veterans through collaboration with Veterans and their family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a recovery-oriented treatment plan. Will practice within the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) code of ethics. Conducts a psychosocial assessments of the Veterans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran and family members/significant others. Demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs, and concerns of the veteran, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this veteran population. 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. Share in the development of a treatment plan with the veteran based on this psychosocial assessment with the interdisciplinary team. Responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran, family members/significant others and other Outpatient Mental Health clinical staff. Provides individual, family, and group psychotherapeutic treatment of mental and emotional disorders and emotional pain using evidence-based psychological methods (i.e., ACT, CBT, CPT, PE, etc.). Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs. Responsible for educating the veteran and family members/significant others of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.\nTelework: Part-time telework is available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement: 54112O, 54113O\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]