Incumbent is a professional Social Worker or Licensed Mental Health Counselor assigned to the Mental Health Clinic at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans referred to the Mental Health Clinic. The incumbent completes thorough psychosocial assessments as part of the consult process when the Veteran's is initially referred to the Mental Health Clinic. 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. Education: Please view the education section. Licensure (GS-11): Please view the education section. Grade Determinations: Social Worker GS-9 (Entry Level) In addition to the basic education requirement, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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 (Full Performance Level) 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. OR 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. 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor GS-9 (Entry Level) In addition to the basic education requirement, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Ability to engage in intake and assessment, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning and implementation, continuum of care, evaluation and follow-up. 2. Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders in formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions using professional counseling practices. 3. Basic knowledge of professional counseling practice with emphasis on human development principles through cognitive, affective, behavioral or systemic interventions, and strategies that address high risk behaviors, wellness, personal growth, and career development across the life span. 4. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 5. Ability to serve on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively. 6. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation and delivery of services, such as Telehealth. 7. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. 8. Knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations affecting professional practice of counseling. 9. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of post-master's or post-doctoral degree mental health counseling experience (VA or non-VA experience) and must be licensed to practice at the independent practice level. LPMHCs may provide clinical supervision over the clinical practice of an unlicensed LPMHC or LPMHC trainee. Some state licenses do not license an individual to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Please refer to specific state licensing laws regarding the requirements for providing clinical supervision. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-9 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to make professional evaluations, decisions, and recommendation for treatment planning and implementation. 2. Advanced knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals of the counseling process which includes defining patient/family problems and maintaining an effective counseling relationship. 3. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the counseling process within various specialty areas, build on the foundation of competence through regular meetings and discussions to explain assignments, review progress of cases and confer about the counseling perspectives and orientation. 4. Ability to provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Requires independent judgment. 5. Ability to establish goals/treatment through a collaborative process with the patient utilizing advanced counseling skills, including evidence-based practices, screening, and psychosocial assessment. 6. Ability to use a wide variety of individual, group, or familial counseling interventions; demonstrates sensitivity to diversity and possesses multicultural counseling skills. 7. Ability to fully utilize the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical intervention using professional counseling practices. 8. Ability to develop and facilitate psychotherapy and psycho- education groups that include life skills, family support, and community integration. This may include evidence based psychotherapy. References: April 3, 2018 VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 PART II APPENDIX G43 II-G43 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. ["GS-9 Social Worker (Entry Level) This position will work within the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program (PCMHI) to assist in the delivery of evidence-based care for primary care patients identified with a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol misuse. The identified role is a Collaborative Care Manager (CoCM). Incumbent will be responsible for monitoring patients, providing education and support, influencing adherence to guidelines by providing \"on-time, on-target\" information to primary care physicians, and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions. The Social Worker will adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics, all local social work policies, and maintain an unrestricted, unsuspended license to practice social work GS-11 Social Worker (Full Performance Level) This fulltime position will work within the Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) to assist in the delivery of evidence-based care for primary care patients identified with a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol misuse. The identified role is a Behavioral Health Specialists (BHS) or Collaborative Care Manager (CoCM). Incumbent will be responsible for monitoring patients, providing education and support, influencing adherence to guidelines by providing \"on-time, on-target\" information to primary care physicians, and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions GS-9 LPMHC (Entry Level) This position will work within the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program (PCMHI) to assist in the delivery of evidence-based care for primary care patients identified with a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol misuse. The identified role is a Collaborative Care Manager (CoCM). Under close supervision the incumbent will be responsible for monitoring patients, providing education and support, influencing adherence to guidelines by providing \"on-time, on-target\" information to primary care physicians, and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions. The position will adhere to all local policies, and maintain an unrestricted, unsuspended license to practice. GS-11 LPMHC (Full Performance Level) This position will work within the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program (PCMHI) to assist in the delivery of evidence-based care for primary care patients identified with a variety of emotional and psychiatric problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol misuse. The identified role is a Collaborative Care Manager (CoCM). Incumbent will be responsible for monitoring patients, providing education and support, influencing adherence to guidelines by providing \"on-time, on-target\" information to primary care physicians, and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM\nTelework: Part-time telework is authorized\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 24297-F and 24454-F\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]