Social Worker, Mental Health

Overview

A professional Social Worker assigned to support the Caregiver Support Program with knowledge and ability to implement treatment modalities, identify level of functioning and degree of impairment in occupational, social, academic, interpersonal and family domains; evaluate and assess lethality; perform mental status exams; identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions; possess knowledge of the criteria and state laws for legal commitment and involuntary hospitalizations.

• Must have a proficiency in establishing and maintaining effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families
• Be able to work with Veterans and their families experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems
• Completes thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the mental health diagnosis, psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families
• Must be able to utilize this assessment in developing and implementing a comprehensive treatment plan for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practicable
• Conducts psychosocial assessments of high-risk patients to identify suicidality through use of the Suicide Risk Assessment (SRA) and other appropriate tools
• Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team through collaboration with Veterans and family, in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions
• Facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner
• Community placements can involve but are not limited to referrals to contract nursing homes, Community Living Centers, residential care homes, inpatient and outpatient hospice services
• Serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services
• Possess knowledge and ability to implement psychotherapeutic treatment modalities, provide educational classes, and/or treatment and supportive groups for Veterans and families
• Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and advance directives
• This includes the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services, information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community programs
• Provide consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment
• Maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies
• Possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care
• Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds
• Acts as a liaison between VA and community resources, including marketing and public relations duties as needed
• Travel where necessary, or as assigned, in the capacity of community outreach support
• Maintains active government driving privileges, including possession of valid driver's license and current training, per policy
• Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate service needs after hours or on weekends
• Performs other duties, as needed to meet the needs of the service, facility and/or the mission of the VA
• Work Schedule:
  
  Monday - Friday 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM;
  Compressed/Flexible:
  Not Authorized;
  Telework:
  Available on an Ad-HOC basis;
  Virtual:
  This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000;
  Relocation/Recruitment
  
  Incentives:
  
  Not Authorized;
  Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
  Not Authorized; PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO):
  Not Authorized