Job Details

Durham Health Care System Primary Care Social Worker

The Durham Health Care System's (Greenville) Primary Care Team operates within the Primary Care Clinic setting. The Social Worker provides mental health expertise and support to the Primary Care Clinic providers relative to veteran patients experiencing primarily depression and/or problem drinking behaviors, although triage and initial psychosocial evaluation may occur related to other concerns such as thoughts of self-harm/suicide, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders and grief/bereavement.

Responsibilities include:

• Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs.
• Incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families and groups.
• Independently conducts psychosocial assessments, utilizes most current edition of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as the basis for diagnostic impressions and conclusions.
• Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• The Social Worker will coordinate community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs.
• Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services.
• Incumbent provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members.
• Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures.
• Coordinates contact with the facility Suicide Prevention Coordinator where clinically warranted for a veteran patient under his/her care.
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families.
• Incumbent independently works with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems utilizing individual, group and family therapy skills.
• Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan.
• Ability to evaluate incumbents own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means.
• Incumbent communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.
• General knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, non-service-connected pension, facilitates referrals based upon Veterans' needs and eligibility.
• Provides training to students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m. Telework: May be available at the discretion of the Service Chief or equivalent Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not 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.
• 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.
• 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).

Qualifications:

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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

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).

For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be independently licensed or certified.

Grade Determinations:

• 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.
• 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.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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.

Full Performance Level. This is the full performance level.

Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. They independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Social workers serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community.

Preferred Experience:

• Working as a part of or with an interdisciplinary team; Clinical experience (i.e.: brief psychosocial assessments; treatment planning; individual & group psychotherapy) in outpatient clinic/setting; Certifications or use of evidence based therapies; working knowledge and experience using medical and mental health diagnosis; provision of crisis intervention; licensed to bill independently.

Physical Requirements: Work is mostly sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.

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: 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:

Additional Information:

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4,