Social Worker - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

Veterans Health Administration • Shelbyville, IN

8h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Social Worker provides services to Veterans receiving outpatient care in the Mental Health Clinic at Shelbyville, Indiana. The role evaluates psychosocial concerns, identifies barriers and needs, connects Veterans with appropriate VA and community resources, and helps strengthen social supports to promote recovery and functioning. The Social Worker uses independent judgment and initiative to assess needs, develop treatment goals and time frames with Veterans, and apply social work values and ethics in complex situations.

The position provides evidence-based psychotherapy and ethical individual and group mental health services to eligible Veterans with mental and behavioral health conditions. It may also involve telemental health services for Veterans located away from the Medical Center or Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. The vacancy is at the GS-09 to GS-11 level, with GS-11 as the full performance level. The selectee may be promoted to that level without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is available, but this is not a virtual position. Occasional travel may be required. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to VHA eligibility and application requirements; the program may provide up to $200,000 in loan repayment, with the award and eligibility period determined after application review.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• A master's degree in Social Work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's level. For GS-9 assignments, VHA may waive this requirement for otherwise-qualified applicants pending completion of state prerequisites; appointees without independent licensure or certification must obtain it within three years.
• For GS-9: demonstrate a Veteran-centered approach; ability to assess psychosocial functioning and needs and formulate and implement treatment plans; ability to use treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups, including supportive, problem-solving, or crisis-intervention techniques; ability to establish effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and community-agency representatives; and fundamental knowledge of medical and mental-health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, medications, and medical terminology.
• For GS-11: at least one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to GS-9 in healthcare or another social-work-related setting, plus independent-practice-level state licensure or certification; alternatively, a doctoral degree in social work may substitute for the required year of professional clinical social-work experience.
• For GS-11: knowledge of community resources and referral coordination; skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and interventions with people from varied backgrounds; knowledge of medical and mental-health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, medications, and medical terminology to formulate treatment plans; skill in independently implementing treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups; and ability to consult with new social workers, graduate students, and other staff about patients' psychosocial needs and their effects on healthcare and treatment compliance.
• Meet applicable pre-employment conditions, including background/security investigation, physical evaluation, seasonal influenza vaccination, identity and onboarding requirements, and a one- or two-year trial period.
• Complete all application requirements specified in the announcement.

Responsibilities

• Provide social work services to Veterans receiving outpatient care in the Mental Health Clinic at Shelbyville, Indiana.
• Evaluate Veterans' presenting psychosocial problems and facilitate access to resources that can minimize psychosocial stressors.
• Optimize Veterans' available social supports to promote recovery and functioning.
• Assess psychosocial needs and apply psychotherapy and social work interventions with a high degree of autonomy and independent judgment.
• Screen and assess psychosocial needs and barriers to facilitate access to appropriate VA and community resources.
• Coordinate the gathering of information needed to establish treatment goals and time frames.
• Collaborate with Veterans to set realistic goals, identify problems and objectives, and determine concrete interventions.
• Provide evidence-based psychotherapeutic services in outpatient Mental Health Clinic programs.
• Participate in telemental health or similar activities to serve Veterans located away from the Medical Center or Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.
• Provide ethical individual and group mental health services to eligible Veterans diagnosed with mental and behavioral health conditions.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval; award may be up to $200,000.
• Federal employee benefits package for eligible employees and their families.
• Possible credit toward annual leave accrual for qualifying prior federal work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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