Social Worker - Homeless and Justice Clinical Recovery Outreach Specialist

Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Location: Salt Lake City
Posted on: May 26, 2023

Job Description:

Summary The Homeless Outreach Social Worker is responsible for providing clinical services at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Homeless & Justice Clinical Recovery (HJCR) Program. With primary emphasis on assessment of patient needs, care coordination, facilitation of groups, individual psychotherapy, & provision of psychoeducational classes. Has good basic knowledge of Medical Center, VA & community resources needed to meet the needs of Veterans on the social worker's caseload. Responsibilities VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Provides outreach & crisis intervention services to homeless Veterans, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint to homeless needs. Coordinates family conferences & serves as a liaison to family members. Has working knowledge & experience in the use of medical & mental health diagnoses, disabilities, & treatment procedures, which include acute, chronic & traumatic illness/injuries, common medications & their effects/side effects, & medical terminology. Works closely with other VA medical center programs & services to ensure coordination between entities is facilitated & direct care, referral, & follow up for enrolled Veterans is contiguous & based on a continuum of services. In addition, the incumbent will act as a consultant to other staff/team members. Possesses the knowledge & ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families, & groups, within the scope of licensure & training. Incumbent independently conducts psychosocial assessments. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family & with the interdisciplinary treatment team & appropriate community partners. Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions & measures outcomes to interventions. Coordinates community resources & community-based services, including information & referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs & community agency programs. Incumbent establishes & maintains effective therapeutic relationships with homeless Veterans &, as appropriate, their families. Acts as HJCR program "Provider of the Day" to ensure homeless Veterans have timely access to care & services. Participates in outreach efforts to encourage homeless Veterans to engage in care. Outreach locations may include the following: homeless shelters, libraries, parks, streets, & homeless camps. Assists in tracking data of outreach contacts. Assists Veterans who have been referred to non-case managed HUD vouchers in the application process. Assists in providing support & resources to Veterans who do not qualify for homeless program services due to being over income. Incumbent will work hours to meet the needs of the homeless community. These hours may be outside of the traditional 0800 -1630 tour of duty. Coordinate & respond to requests coming from the National Homeless Hotline. Responds to incoming referrals from all sources including but not limited to the following: messages on outreach voicemail, National Homeless Hotline, internal providers, community partners, family members, etc. Assists in coordinating a walk-in clinic for homeless Veteran's on VA campus that includes participation of other VA programs & community partners. Coordinates & participates in) community events including the annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down, Point-In-Time Count, & other events & activities directly related to outreach to Veterans who are homeless. Works independently with patients & their families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, & social problems utilizing individual, group, family counseling, & psychotherapy skills, within the scope of licensure & training. Provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of homeless Veterans & the impact of psychosocial problems on health care & adherence to the treatment plan, within the scope of licensure & training, Utilizes the ability to evaluate his or her own practice through professional peer review, case conferences & other organizational means. Incumbent will communicate effectively, both orally & in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Utilizes general knowledge of Veterans' benefits & services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation & nonservice-connected pension. Facilitates referrals based upon the Veterans' needs & eligibility. Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Incumbent consistently communicates & treats customers in a courteous, tactful, & respectful manner. Incumbent will provide customer with consistent information according to established policies & procedures. Handles conflict & problems in dealing with the consumer constructively & appropriately. Has working knowledge & skill in the use of word-processing, data management & other computer systems, especially those programs in use by VHA. Support the goals & mission of the Homeless & Justice Clinical Recovery Program. Work Schedule: M-F 8AM-4:30PM May be required to work some weekday evenings or Saturdays. Compressed: Available Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 52351-O, 52352-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 29,2023 The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be April 28th, 2023, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. 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). Driver License: Driver License is Required. Will be transporting Veterans in a Government Vehicle up to 75% of the time. 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 at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date (9/10/2019) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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. 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. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 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. 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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. Preferred Experience: BLS certification is preferred. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 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-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Must meet eligibility criteria to drive a government vehicle. Position will require significant travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who provide assistance and support to the HJCR program and its Veterans. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Keywords: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Salt Lake City , Social Worker - Homeless and Justice Clinical Recovery Outreach Specialist, Healthcare , Salt Lake City, Utah