Social Worker

Department of Veterans Affairs • Augusta, ME

53d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. This Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHlCM) Social Worker position is in Mental Health services at the VA Maine Healthcare System, located at the Portland Maine Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. The Social Worker functions as the VA Maine Health Care System (VAMEHCS) Case Manager for the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHlCM) and is part of the multi -disciplinary treatment team, providing comprehensive case management to patients assigned to the MHICM team.

Responsibilities

• Provides complex clinical services to clients with serious psychological problems on a regular and continuing basis, including suicide preventions, crisis intervention, short- and long-term treatment, emergency food and shelter location, legal referral, employment, structured placement, financial matters, socialization, and any problems encountered in daily living.
• Completes annual psychosocial assessments that are updated each year.
• Makes routine home visits for case management and/or coordination of care based upon the acuity of each Veteran following the assessment.
• Conducts community visits to clients to maintain and encourage community living.
• Collaborates with Community Residential Care homes where Veterans reside to facilitate community living in the least restrictive environment and to provide support services for the homes. At times, the client may request assistance with placement into a different facility.
• Accommodates the Veteran, when possible, in providing transportation to take Veterans to medical appointments, job sites, social activities, and other community resources.
• Responsible to spend at least 75% of their time in the community.
• Referrals may also be initiated by other interdisciplinary team members that identify psychosocial issues.
• Responsibilities include an ongoing assessment and adjustment of the Veteran's treatment and progress, as well as developing discharge plans.
• Works in conjunction with Inpatient MH Social Workers by providing assistance with difficult discharges, provides continuity of care by following up with clients discharged from Mental Health Inpatient care.
• Provides outreach services to clients and engages in community networking which may include coordination with lawyers, residential care home operators, physicians, clergymen, and representatives of other discipline s who are concerned with the client or same group of clients.
• Performs other related assigned duties as listed in functional statement.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year.)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.)
• Ad-Hoc telework may be authorized at the discretion of the supervisor.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Administration of Human Resource Programs
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees