Social Worker

The social worker Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) is assigned to the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System Mental Health Clinic located at Gainesville location.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• The PCMHI Social Worker utilizes evidence-based and best practice approaches to assist Veterans caregivers and staff in managing behavioral factors associated with chronic medical problems and in promoting medical compliance. The clinician functions as a full member of the Primary Care clinic teams and provides ongoing team consultation services to other Primary Care clinic team members.
• Individual/group evidence-based treatments to Veterans.
• Participate in a shared decision-making model of care to collaboratively determine which psychotherapy modalities are most appropriate based on the Veterans individual and intersecting cultural factors goals strengths needs abilities and preferences.
• Ensure appropriate documentation to include measures of effectiveness and Veteran response using clinical judgment and standardized assessment instruments.
• Developing implementing and documenting the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients including prompt of clinical reminders.
• Delivering services both in person and via video technology.
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding their patients.
• Actively participating in Mental Health Service Line facility and program meetings.
• Assisting in the ongoing process improvement initiatives of the PCMHI Training Program.
• Provides consultation and training to Primary Care Service Line staff in the identification and management of common mental and behavioral health disorders that present in a primary care setting when indicated.
• Assists the PCMHI Program Coordinator in the design development and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment providers.
• Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team established by the affiliated PCMHI Program Manager.
• Assist the program PCMHI Program Coordinator in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program.
• Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services.
• Complies with national and local performance measures including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients.
• Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g. entering diagnostic and procedure codes).
• May serve on Medical Center committees or task forces specifically relating to diagnosis assessment and/or treatment issues associated with the Integrated Primary Care and Mental Health programs.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Education: You must possess a masters 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to 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 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to Social Worker
  • 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.
  While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledges Skills Abilities and Other Characteristics (KSAOs) you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSAs for this subject position:GS-9 Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
  1. Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients staff and representatives of community agencies.
  5. 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 Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
  1. Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services.
  2. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic educational and other backgrounds.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  Preferred Experience: Experience working on a multi-disciplinary team with experience using evidence based treatment modalities.
  
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit 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: Able to meet the physical demands of the position reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity. Must be able to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens.

  Education

  IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
  
  You must possess a masters 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
  
  
  Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges universities schools or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information visit:

  Additional information

  Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
  
  During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
  
  This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
  
  This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
  
  VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
  
  If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
  
  Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

  Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.