Social Worker

Social Worker

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Durham, North Carolina, Garner, North Carolina

Salary Range: $89045 - $115765 Per Year

Job Summary: Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery (ICMHR) services are an adaptation of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) designed to address the unique needs of Veterans with SMI within VHA while ensuring access to additional medical, mental health, and specialty medicine providers. ICMHR Primary Clinicians provide clinical community-based, psychosocial rehabilitation services to Veterans with SMI, severe functional impairment.

Major Duties:

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES Assertive outreach, individualized treatment planning, and intensive case management services, as follows: - Frequent, direct contacts with patients to provide therapy and support. Frequency of contacts is increased in times of crisis. - Flexibility of Veteran contact (Veterans are seen in any location and with any MHICM/E-RANGE team clinician who can provide assistance). - A focus on strengthening the Veteran's ability to address acute and chronic problems. - Use of naturalistic community settings for teaching and modeling problem-solving skills. - Provision of continuity of care within the framework established by MHICM/E-RANGE. For example, collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams and programs to promote and enhance the care of Veterans. - Outreach and assertive provision of services to Veterans for whom engagement with general outpatient mental health treatment has not been successful. - Mobilization of natural and organizational support, including family members, professionals, and other interested parties. For example, undertakes individual, family and group therapies as well as educational programs for Veterans, families, and staff. Also responsible for linking Veterans to other VA programs and to community resources. - Participates in team staffing regarding Veteran consults selection, treatment planning progress evaluation, discharge planning, and after care. - Effectively communicates with and utilizes other disciplines (e.g., nursing, medicine) to facilitate treatment planning and implementation. With few exceptions, participates effectively in team meetings, treatment planning conferences, etc. Collaborates with multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive Veteran care. - Completes clinical documentation according to MHICM/E-RANGE and Health Care System standards; this includes but is not limited to progress notes, assessments, recovery plans, and discharge plans. Incumbent will be responsible for completion of required clinical records as well as MHICM/E-RANGE forms for evaluation and monitoring of service delivery and outcome for the MHICM/E-RANGE Project Director and staff at Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). - Works assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs, treatment plans, and case management services for assigned Veterans. Works assertively to promote appropriate treatment, rehabilitation, and expeditious discharge of assigned Veterans, consistent with program goals and with the individual treatment plans. - Works with other clinical programs and services that shares in the care of assigned MHICM/E-RANGE Veterans. In pursuit of programmatic and treatment goals, maintains effective working relationships with other professional and administrative personnel both within the Health Care System and in the community. - Meets with VA, community, and professional organizations and individuals as needed to carry out assigned responsibilities. This includes, but is not limited to, representing the program by screening Veterans for participation in any aspects of the program -Experience treating Substance Use Disorders preferred. The incumbent may participate in the training and staff development programs related to their discipline. The incumbent assumes responsibility and shows initiative for own learning and professional development. The incumbent must qualify for a Class III U.S. Government driver's license in order to carry out assigned clinical duties. Completes other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M-F 0800-1630 Telework: Ad-Hoc

Qualifications: Applicants pending the completion of 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 worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not 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 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the 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-0185 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 by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-11 [] (1) 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR (2) 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. (3) 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, educational, and other 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. (4) [Full Performance Level] Assignments. 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. Duties include but are not limited to, assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causations in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, in order to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessments of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. 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. They provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. Preferred Experience: Social Work experience preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/06/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12913913. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2026-04-06