Social Worker (BHIP)

VA Careers - Social Work: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

VA Albany Healthcare is currently recruiting for a full-time Social Workerlocated in a Mental Health Program in the Social Work Service at the Samuel S. Stratton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Albany NY. The Social Worker functions as part of the staff in a Mental Health Program providing mental health care within the Medical Center and/or Community Based Outpatients Clinics. The Social Worker applies strategies to a full range of patient problems and has knowledge of culturally sensitive psychological assessment techniques including diagnosis intervention and outreach that qualifies them to provide consultation to professionals representing a variety of disciplines.

The duties of the position include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides psychosocial assessment and diagnoses mental disorders based on assignment and clinical privileges.
• Provides education with recovery-oriented core principles to patients family members and significant others.
• Provides targeted evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for individuals couples groups families and eligible caregivers.
• Provides consultation to VA staff and community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients.
• Documents results of assessments consultations and interventions.
• Develops implements and documents the recommended plan of care for patients.
• Provides clinical services through the use of TeleHealth when clinically appropriate and applicable to setting.
• Collaborates with patients interdisciplinary team including participation in treatment team meetings/huddles.
• Initiates and promotes communication among medical staff and mental health staff patients their families and caregivers to facilitate the treatment process.
• Attends training and uses evidence-based treatment protocols for patient centered trauma informed treatment as appropriate to assignment.
• May provide supervision of trainees with supervisory approval.
• Performs case finding and outreach to identify and screen patients for psychosocial needs.
• Demonstrates the ability to evaluate their own practice through professional peer review case conferences supervision and other organizational means.
• Is responsible for assessment management and follow up on psychiatric emergencies in the setting to which they are assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• 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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• 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.

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. Have 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 Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

1. Experience Education and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.
2. Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
   • (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans their family members caregivers and survivors.
   • (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.

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 nonVA 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.