Social Worker- Inpatient Medicine

Incumbent serving as the Inpatient Medicine/Surgical Unit Social Worker is responsible for serving veterans on the Inpatient Medicine/Surgical Units in the Nursing and Social Work Case Management service line at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. They will provide direct patient care services to Veterans on the inpatient medicine and surgical unit. VA Careers • Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Social Worker • Inpatient Medicine includes working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, substance abuse disorders, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology, Duties of this position include, but not limited to: Assesses and treats the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans and their families/significant others. Apples clinical judgement with screenings, assessments, safety planning, treatment planning, discharge planning, and care collaboration. Utilizes assessments in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable. Participates as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions. Provides direct patient care services to Veterans on the inpatient medicine and surgical unit. Collaborates with team to assure information is obtained to meet the Veteran's needs and services. Initiates and advocates for appropriate needs, document to meet standards and to assure up to date changes, decisions are reflected in the chart so other team members or services can find needed information. Performs other duties as needed. Work Schedule: Thursday • Monday, 7:30am • 4:00pm or 8:00am • 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruitqualifi ed citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in directpatient care positions unless they are profi cient in basic written and spoken English. Master's degree in Social Work Have a master's degree in social work from a school work fully accredited by the Councilon 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 social work. Licensed. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA mustbe 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 SW Licensure Summary by State. 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 Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Social Worker, GS-09 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and otehr diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (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 tratment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups ot 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, acure, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. [Entry Level] Assignments. Individual assigned at the GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closes supervised, as they are not yes functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 grade level are typically assigned ot program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Social Worker, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion 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 or 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, candidatesmust demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of communicty resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and othergovernmnetal 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, ethinic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnosis, disbilitites and treatment procedures (i.e. acute,chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminoloy) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implenting different treatment modialities 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 healthcare and compliance with treatment. Note: KSAs must be clearly reflected in your resume under description of dutes to be found qualified for ths position/grade level. Preferred Experience: Inpatient medicine/surgical unit experience Military veteran experience or military service members Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-9 or GS-11. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services 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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.