Social Worker, Mental Health

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:
Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j

Education:

Must 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

Note:

A doctoral degree in social work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work to meet the Basic Eligibility requirements Licensure:
You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree 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) Grade Determination:

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

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:
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 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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).

Standards/ The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 11 The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS 11

Physical Requirements:

The work is primarily sedentary Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting There may be some walking, standing, twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items.