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Summary

Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): This position is eligible for the 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 your start date. 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.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
Education: Have 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
Verification of the degree can be made by going to the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work
Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
Current state requirements may be found on the OHRM website
Exception
VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified
At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j
May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection
If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
Grade Determinations: GS-9:Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
2
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
3
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
4
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies
5
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: Experience and Licensure: Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires 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
OR 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
AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services
2
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
3
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
4
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
5
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, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard
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 and Work Environment: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.