Social Worker

Veterans Health Administration•Greenville, SC

6d•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 eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. GS-09: The Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) is an interdisciplinary team which delivers primary care services to Veteran patients in a longitudinal, rather than episodic fashion. The focus of PACT is health promotion and wellness, disease prevention, care coordination, and chronic disease management. The role of the PACT Social Worker in this model is that of a care coordinator to a panel of Veterans ensuring their health care needs are met, based upon identified goals defined by the Veteran. GS-11: The Patient Aligned Care Team is a comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention, health promotion and wellness, care coordination and chronic disease management. The Clinical Social Worker in this Veteran-centric approach often functions as a care coordinator with a panel of Veterans to ensure that health care meets the needs as defined by the Veteran. Social Workers are uniquely prepared for this role by virtue of their education, training and experience which prepares them to understand the person-in-situation and the influences that family and community have in impacting the healthcare needs of Veterans.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
Subject to background/security investigation.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Must serve a 1 or 2-year trial period.
Master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
Must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment.
Must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification.
Proficient in spoken and written English.
For GS-11: 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.
For GS-11 (alternative): 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.
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, educational, and other 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.

Nice To Haves

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Responsibilities

Care coordinator to a panel of Veterans ensuring their health care needs are met, based upon identified goals defined by the Veteran.
Assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veteran's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.
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.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
Make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and coordinate services.
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.