Senior Social Worker
What you'd do
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. Program 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.
Major duties
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Licensed Clinical Social Worker is assigned to the VA Mental Health Service, as program needs demand, is responsible for coverage of any of the inpatient, residential, or outpatient programs of the Mental Health Services. Since specifically assigned to the Mental Health Triage team (MH Triage), this position will have primary responsibilities with that Program. This team works closely with the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team. This position practices in both program and specialty areas in the VA Mental Health Clinic. The incumbent interviews patients, family members, and significant others to assess psychosocial needs, determine treatment referrals, and provide follow-up care. This position conducts individual, group, marital, and family therapy sessions alone or with a co-therapist. The social worker determines appropriate level of care in relation to available community care facilities and coordinates with TAMC/community hospital/ VA Mental Health Services and community agencies, i.e., OHS, Department of Health, boarding homes, care homes, and residential treatment facilities. Duties Include but are not limited to: A. Clinical Assessment, Screening, and Diagnosis Conducts comprehensive biopsychosocial and substance treatment focused assessments; evaluates substance use severity, mental health symptoms, impairment, and cooccurring conditions; Formulates individualized treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran and the interdisciplinary MH Triage team, consistent with MH RRTP policy and the VA/DoD STAR CPG. Implements measurement-based care at baseline and regular intervals to monitor symptom change and guide clinical decision making; documents results and uses them to adjust treatment plans. Performs required risk screening and assessment (e.g., suicide risk per VHA Risk ID procedures), creates/updates safety plans, and coordinates risk management with Suicide Prevention and other staff. B. Evidence Based Psychotherapy (Individual & Group) Provides individual social work services utilizing guideline recommended evidence based treatments. C. Intensive Case Management & Care Coordination Serves as a primary resource on community and VA programs, arranging referrals and collaborating with internal/external partners to address housing, employment, education, family support, and Whole Health resources, as available locally. Contributes to program evaluation and quality improvement (e.g., symptom outcomes, completion rates, readmissions); assists with developing group schedules, clinical pathways, and performance measures consistent with national guidance. D. Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Consultation, and Training The incumbent collaborates with psychiatry, psychology, nursing, recreation therapy, peer support, pharmacy, whole health, physicians and others on interdisciplinary treatment planning and reviews; provides consultation on veterans entering or continuing care. F. Documentation & Compliance Completes timely, accurate documentation for assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, risk assessments/safety plans, consults, and discharge summaries, following VHA Patient Care Data Capture and Closeout requirements and facility policies. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-Time; 7:30am - 4:00pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad-Hoc - May be approved at supervisor discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 11035-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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 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. 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/. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Senior Social Worker, GS-12 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. 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. 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
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