Senior Social Worker

Summary
Clinical and program activities of this position are conducted as part of the Mental Health Intensive Case Management/R.A.N.G.E. Team (Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement). The incumbent provides specialized treatment services that are provided in various community settings - including the day program - residential care homes - contact nursing homes - and various other community locations.
Qualifications
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
English Language Proficiency
Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.
7403(f)
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)
NOTE: 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
NOTE: Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
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: (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: (a) 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
(b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
(c) 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
(d) 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
(e) 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: Advanced knowledge of psychiatric diagnosis - intervention - and behavioral health
Provide individual and group interventions to support Veterans that are coping with feelings of depression and other psychological problems
Disseminate - organizes and - where possible - conducts evidence-based training and promoting emerging interventions
Work with community resources such as Veteran Service Officers and other community groups
Conduct home visits to Veterans their communities
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: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - pulling - and pushing
May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include - but are not limited to: Provides intensive case management services to assigned veterans and significant others - consistent with the goals and methods of MHICM and the VA Mental Health Initiative and with all relevant Medical Center policies and procedures
Provides a focus on strengthening the patient's ability to address acute and chronic problems
Utilization of naturalistic community settings for teaching and modeling problem-solving skills
Collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams and programs to promote and enhance the care of patients
Provide outreach and assertive provision of services to treatment resistant patients
Provides mobilization of environmental and organizational supports - including family members - professional - and other interested parties
Participate in team staffing regarding patient selection - determination of treatment plans and goals - progress evaluation - discharge planning - and after care
Work assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs - treatment plans - and case management services for assigned patients
Works assertively to promote appropriate treatment - rehabilitation - and expeditions discharge of assigned patients - consistent with program goals and with the individual treatment plans
Actively involved in readmission decisions - using the procedures established for this purpose
Completes clinical documentation according to MHICM and Medical Center standards
Work with other clinical programs and product lines that share in the care of assigned MHICM patients - including but not limited to each product line and Rehabilitation care program
Provides documentation of patient care as prescribed by the MHICM and Medical Center Directives
May supervise and participate in the training of Social Workers - Social Work Associates - volunteers - and students
participates as required and requested in orientation - training and staff development programs involving Social Workers in each product line and the hospital
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Subject to change based on the needs of the facility
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 00444F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized