Career Center

Summary

The Cincinnati VA Medical Center is recruiting for a Licensed Social Worker for the Mental Health Care Line - Substance Dependence Program and the Domiciliary Substance Use Disorder department. This position will serve in a residential treatment program for veterans with a SUD Diagnosis.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• Licensure
• Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 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 by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• - 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 up to the full performance level
• 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)
• Creditable Experience
• The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices
• To be creditable - the experience must have required the use of knowledge - skills - abilities - and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice
• The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree
• Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice - which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker - as defined by the appropriate state licensing board
• Quality of Experience
• Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled
• Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - GS-9: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• (e) 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
• Social Worker - GS-11 Experience and Licensure
• Appointments 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 Education
• In addition to meeting basic requirements - 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
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
• (c) 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
• (d) 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
• (e) 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: The work described above places no special physical demand on the incumbent
• The work required walking - standing - bending - lifting - and carrying light items.

Duties

• The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati - OH and Fort Thomas - KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH - Northern Kentucky - and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue - KY
• Florence - KY
• Lawrenceburg - IN
• Hamilton - OH
• Clermont County - OH - and Georgetown - OH
• The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties of the position include but are not limited to: You will manage a caseload of patients with complex addictions - and mental and related physical problems
• You will develop a diagnostic evaluation/summary of the client's substance abuse
• You will lead evidenced-based group therapy - weekly and on assigned weekend
• You will assess readiness and provide skills to help veterans be successful with passes
• You will make referrals to appropriate resources to help veterans with legal - housing - vocational - medical - psychiatric - and other needs
• You will make recommendations to the treatment team regarding readiness for discharge
• You will complete discharge telephone contacts as needed
• You will analyze problems and interpret and adapt guidelines such as policies - regulations - precedents - etc
• for application to specific problems and recommend changes
• You will complete - with veteran - any Advanced Directive paperwork that is asked for by the veteran
• You will help fill in - as needed and availability - with DOM SUD programing
• Work Schedule: Split 1st/2nd shift - Week one: Mon/Tues/Wed 8am - 4:30pm - Thurs/Fri Noon - 8:30pm
• Week two: Mon/Tues/Wed Noon - 8:30pm - Thurs/Fri 8am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92740-0 and 92741-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized