This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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.

The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social workerare prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of PublicLaw 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker inVHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it isnot possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A,paragraph 3g this part). Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fullyaccredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools ofsocial 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 substitutedfor the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going tohttp://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 seriesin VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work atthe master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going tohttp://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. English Language Proficiency . Candidates must be proficient in spoken and writtenEnglish to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d).

Grade Determinations :

GS-0185-13

Supervisory Social Worker Experience/Education . One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment,demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates may havecertification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognizedprofessional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course ofstudy and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinatormust be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able toprovide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities . In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines. Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement. Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers. Ability to delegate authority, manage priorities, coordinate work, and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems, develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations, and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service. Ability to provide staff training and development.

Preferred Knowledge and Experience:

Leadership and multidisciplinary patient care team. Advances management, analysis, and reporting of patient care and population trend data. Excellence in delivery of telehealth care. Strong communication skills and ability to facilitate objectives across a geographically and professional diverse teams. Knowledge of application process and eligibility guidance for benefits and entitlements, including extensive knowledge of benefits and services available to post 911 OEF,OIF, OND active-duty military and veteran patients.

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

Physical Requirements:

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.