This Social Worker Position is for a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Specialist for Homeless Programs as well as Supportive Services for Veterans and Family (SSVF) Program and falls under the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service at the White River Junction VA Medical Center. The licensed Social Worker provides case management and intervention support in a team oriented, recovery-based program. 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: 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 the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 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 on the OHRM website. 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. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. 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). If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. Grade Determinations: GS-9 :Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 5. 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. 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. 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: 1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-9 or GS-11. Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books,, papers and files. In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where they conduct interview with the veterans, their families, representative of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. The incumbent must travel in a government vehicle for extended period of time in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The SUD Specialist supports the SSVF Program by providing continuity of care between Homeless programs through services to Veterans with SUDs as they transition form programs such as Domiciliary or Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (RRTPs), Health Care for Homeless Veterans Contracted Housing, and Grant Per Diem Programs to SSVF. The Social Worker provides on-going substance use case management and early treatment interventions to promoted sustained stability and abstinence in temporary and permanent housing. These Veterans are frequently also diagnosed with co-occurring mental health, physical health and social problems that require particular skill in early intervention and crisis management. The duties and responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to: Provide direct SUD services for SSVF in the Medical Center. Provide outreach services for SSVF in the community. Provide training for other members of the multidisciplinary treatment team i areas related to SUD assessment, anger management, and like skills and SUD with co-occurring disorders. Independently conduct intake and needs assessment of homeless veterans and their significant others and identify symptoms leading to clinical diagnoses of SUD. Provide all necessary assessment functions, e.g. interviewing, psychosocial histories and SUD assessments to aid in the development of treatment plans. Develop comprehensive treatment plans with the veteran that address the factors that contributed to homelessness, including SUD and other co-occurring factors within a recovery model framework. Works with the veteran to realize the veteran's treatment goals, and reassesses and revises goals as indicated by the veteran's engagement in treatment. Organize and conduct individual and group case management and SUD treatment. Provide SUD support to the SSVF team as a functional member of this team. Serve as member of a multidisciplinary homeless program treatment team. Develop partnerships with community agencies. Serve as liaison with other programs referring homeless veterans to SSVF to ensure continuity of care and promote successful transition of veterans form one program to another. Provide consultative services to SSVF as needed. Participate in policy making, goal setting and treatment service planning discussions with other members of SSVF and Homeless programs. Provide appropriate clinical documentation for all contacts with or about veterans. Collect and review statistical data to improve performance and delivery of services to homeless veterans. Work Schedule: Full Time\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: F04676\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]