Social Worker Job at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Sioux Falls

Overview

Join to apply for the Social Worker role at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This position is located at the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center and the Social Worker serves as a member of the interdisciplinary team in the pain clinic aligned within the Rehabilitation and Extended Care (REC) Integrated Clinical Community (ICC).

Responsibilities

• The incumbent will conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and provide case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.
• The incumbent will provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate.
• The incumbent will be an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
• The incumbent will provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate. Treatment will be delivered using evidenced-based modalities, which can include but is not limited to cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain, acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.
• The incumbent will provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits and will act as a consultant to other team/staff members and will provide consultation/education to medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedure.
• The incumbent will be a member of the interdisciplinary team in the Pain Clinic and will be well versed in using all the available pain management resources within the healthcare system to maximize treatment outcomes.
• The incumbent will support several population health initiatives aimed at improving the safety and effectiveness of pain care across the entire system (e.g., Opioid Safety Initiative, Overdose Education Naloxone Distribution, Informed Consent for Long-Term Opioid Therapy, Data-Based Opioid Risk Reviews, Whole Health, etc.).
• The incumbent will provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate Veteran/family support groups as appropriate.
• The Social Worker will fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans, colleagues and VA in accordance with relevant discipline Code of Ethics, VHA Code of Ethics, and local Ethics policies, including compliance with laws and regulations related to confidentiality and release of information.
• The incumbent enters all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates, and is accurate, literate, and timely in charting, correspondence, and reports.
• The incumbent serves on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the immediate supervisor and Social Work Executive.

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension and federal 401K with contributions by VA

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited per VA policy.
• Education: Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work (CSWE). A doctoral degree may not substitute for the MSW.
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s level (GS-0185). An exception may apply at GS-9; for GS-11 and above, licensure/certification is required.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Onboarding: Selection may require online onboarding and acceptable ID documents.
• Seasonal influenza vaccination requirement for VA Health Care Personnel.

Grade Determinations

The full performance level is GS-11; however, applicants may be selected at GS-9 to GS-11 depending on experience, education, and licensure.

• GS-9: No additional experience beyond basic requirements; KSAs include veteran-centric approach, psychosocial assessment, treatment planning, modalities with individuals/families/groups, and knowledge of medical/mental health terminology.
• GS-11: One year of post-MSW experience at GS-9 level and state licensure/certification; or doctoral degree in social work; KSAs include community resources, independent psychosocial assessments, treatment interventions, and consultation skills.

Preferred Experience

Experience with evidence-based practices for pain management and with a biopsychosocial model of pain management; experience in psychological assessments related to pain; ability to provide group and individual counseling for pain management.

Other Information

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. This position may be filled at GS-9 to GS-11.

Education: A transcript must be submitted with your application. If using foreign education, provide a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.