Career Center

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirements: 1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 2. 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 masters of social work. 3. 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: GS-12 1. Experience/Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. 2. Licensure/Certification. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. 3. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Case management experience with SUD, group therapy experience preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, September 10, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The position requires light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds) and use of fingers. You must be able to work alone and work closely with others, there will be exposure to individuals having psychiatric and physical illness. ["Advanced practice level is the ability to provide independent and expert clinical psychosocial case management services in a specialized area of practice to Veterans who experience acute crises, may lack familial and community support, may need encouragement to engage in self-care, may struggle with compliance, or may have major deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. The Senior Social Worker has an increased depth and breadth of practice skills; has expertise in participating in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching; demonstrates leadership in developing and expanding professional intervention strategies; demonstrates leadership in defining and attending to professional practice issues; and has the ability to expand the conceptual knowledge of the profession. The Senior Social Worker has mastered a range of specialized interventions and provides consultation to colleagues, renders professional opinions based on experience and expertise, develops new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention, and incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatment. Outcome evaluations are utilized to further treatment and designs system changes based on empirical findings. Must provide individual therapy, group therapy, and advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans enrolled in the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MHRRTP) who experience a wide array of mental health and substance use diagnoses including anxiety, mood and adjustment disorders, psychotic disorders, polytrauma injuries, traumatic brain injuries, substance use disorders, and other serious mental health disorders. Work is primarily with Veterans who have complex mental health needs and multiple co-occurring substance use disorders. The Senior Social Worker must be licensed at the advance practice level and demonstrate specialized knowledge of Substance Use Disorders, PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and other significant mental health disorders concurrent to the management of psychosocial stressors. Working independently across fields and service lines is expected. The Social Worker may serve to coordinate compliance with national metrics for MHRRTP (e.g., HOMES, NEPEC, MBC) and compliance with oversight boards (e.g., CARF, JHACO). This provider regularly communicates with the MHRRTP Program Managers, Domiciliary Chief/Section Director, and the National MHRRTP office. Some of the major duties and responsibilities of the Senior Social Worker include but are not limited to: Provide a full range of services within the Social Work Scope of Practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level, and preferences for care. Services may include case management; individual, family, and group therapy; discharge planning; resource linkage; and care coordination. Provide consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources, Advance Directives, VA benefits, budgeting, activities of daily living, and recovery goals. Act as a consultant to other team/staff members and take a lead clinical role in case consultation. Document all Veteran care in the electronic health record in accordance with facility policy, VHA Directive 1162.05 (and revisions), and program-specific SOPs. Actively participate in program planning and development, advising the supervisor of shifting Veteran care needs and identifying the need for SOP or policy changes. Provide supervision to students, interns, or unlicensed Social Workers as requested. Maintain familiarity and responsibility for all behavioral health performance measures. Assist in development and maintenance of operational plans and strategic goals related to these measures. Responsible for participation and leadership in process improvement, system redesign, and/or other applicable workgroups and committees, to include creation of standard work documents or strategic plan implementation. Take responsibility for improving professional competencies by participating training programs and continuing education. Maintain accurate records of trainings in accordance with VA policies and state licensure requirements. Evaluate own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, and other means. Work Schedule: Mon - Fri, 7:30am to 4pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinators, Stacy Hermann or Taia Henderson @ V20CompensationTeam@va.gov Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

Return to Search Results