Social Worker - Mental Health

Veterans Health Administration • Wilkes Barre, PA

13h • Onsite

About The Position

The Social Worker provides mental health and psychosocial services to veterans in collaboration with an interdisciplinary treatment team, veterans, and their families or significant others. The role includes assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention, supportive counseling, evidence-based therapy, referrals, resource coordination, advocacy, and case management. The Social Worker also documents contacts in the electronic record and maintains working relationships with VA personnel and community stakeholders.

This position serves veterans in outpatient mental health and may include case management for residents of local contract nursing homes and residential care programs. The Social Worker travels throughout the Wilkes-Barre VAMC catchment area to conduct interviews with veterans, families, and community agencies. The position is onsite; telework and virtual work are not available. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to VHA eligibility and approval. Approved awards may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years. Applicants must submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment; former EDRP participants are not eligible to apply.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master’s degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• At least one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to GS-9 in health care or another social-work-related setting, plus independent-practice licensure or certification; alternatively, a doctoral degree in social work may substitute for the one year of experience.
• Knowledge of community resources, referral processes, and service coordination.
• Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, medications and their effects or side effects, and medical terminology sufficient to formulate treatment plans.
• Ability to independently implement treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems.
• Ability to consult with new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about patients’ psychosocial needs and the effects of psychosocial problems on health care and treatment compliance.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Must meet applicable background and security investigation requirements, complete onboarding, and pass a pre-employment physical examination.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet requirements for using a government vehicle.
• Internal applicants must submit a recent SF-50.

Nice To Haves

• Mental health experience.
• Experience working in a team approach to care.

Responsibilities

• Develop psychosocial assessments with the veteran, family or significant others, and interdisciplinary treatment team, identifying strengths, limitations, supports, and service needs.
• Contribute to treatment plans and establish achievable goals with veterans, families or significant others, and outpatient mental health staff.
• Reassess veterans’ needs and coordinate discharge planning and referrals to VA and community service providers.
• Educate veterans and families about available services and assist with referrals based on the veteran’s or surrogate decision-maker’s preferences.
• Use and maintain VA and community social-service resource information and refer veterans to needed services.
• Advocate for veterans and families or caregivers when appropriate, and encourage veterans to advocate for themselves when feasible.
• Conduct rapid assessments and develop crisis-management plans, including plans for admission to inpatient mental health programs.
• Provide education about VA and community resources, entitlements, and advance directives or living wills; refer health education needs to appropriate team members.
• Review other providers’ progress notes, explain non-institutional service options, and collaborate with veterans and families on preferred options.
• Provide ongoing supportive counseling to veterans and families or significant others concerning the psychosocial impact of severe mental illness.
• Provide individual, family, and group evidence-based therapies.
• Enter veteran and family contacts into the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates, maintaining complete, confidential, and professional documentation.
• Maintain positive working relationships with VA employees, volunteers, consumers, stakeholders, and outside community agencies.
• Provide case management to residents of local contract nursing homes and residential care programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), with approved awards of up to $200,000 and eligibility periods of one to five years, subject to program requirements and approval.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior