Career Center

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

***This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 31 - 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be November 4th - 2024 with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.***

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• 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
• Drivers License
• Have a valid drivers license
• GS-12 - Senior Social Worker 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
• AND 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
• AND 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
• Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level
• Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site
• a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center - or a national VHA referral center - such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center - or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity
• The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics
• The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans - ensures equity of access - service - and benefits to this population - ensures the care provided is of the highest quality
• The senior social worker provides leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff
• They serve on committees - work groups - and task forces at the facility - VISN and national level - or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor - Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services
• This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management
• This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation
• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 Preferred Experience: LCSW 2 year post licenses as LCSW
• LPC 5 year post licenses as LPC Physical Requirements: This position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework
• Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others
• Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain - corrective lenses permitted) - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment.

Duties

• Performs specialized treatment of complex physical and/or mental illness in the VAMC or CBOC environment
• Provides individual - group & family psychotherapy & advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with polytrauma injuries - spinal cord injuries - traumatic brain injuries - visual impairment - post-traumatic stress disorder - & other serious disorders
• Develops & implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice & services in specialty areas - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services
• Demonstrates the ability to teach & mentor staff & students in the special area of practice & to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications
• Acts as a community & family liaison by initiating & maintaining necessary contact with the patient - his/her family - VAMC service programs & personnel - human resource agencies - mental health agencies - & other related resource agencies
• Reviews all data - subjective & objective - & makes a clinical assessment - identifying needs & strengths
• Ability to serve veterans who tend to have serious frequent & severe crises - lack family or an adequate community support network - be poor at self-monitoring - frequently fail to comply with instructions & treatment
• Independently evaluates the client's situation - including the veteran's reaction to it & ability to deal with it - & arrives at a reasoned conclusion
• Performs insightful assessment of serious & complicated eases involving psychiatric illness - catastrophic medical conditions - dementia & other high-risk diagnoses
• On an inpatient/outpatient basis - finds a suitable means of treatment to help veterans and/or significant others cope with stressful situations
• Treatment is aimed at helping veterans find practical solutions to problems
• Develops psychosocial treatment plans actively involving the veteran & their family or significant other based on the psychosocial assessment including goals for clinical treatment
• Adjusts the psychosocial treatment plan & interventions based on changing needs & response to interventions
• Organizes community services on behalf of beneficiaries - developing & coordinating procedures for use of these services by related staff
• Receives & completes consults requesting services from interdisciplinary team members & from other social workers on complex - difficult cases - using advanced practice skills & expertise
• Establishes a continuing relationship with the veteran - evaluating progress towards goals & adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate
• Documents independently in the clinical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats - including psychosocial assessments - diagnostics - treatment - progress notes - follow up & referral
• Manages the quality control & evaluation of the professional services provided
• Serves as a mentor to other social workers - particularly those at the entry level
• Serves as medical center's primary point of contact for the National INDNASH Program - Office of Mental Health Services - VACO
• Establishes - implements - & maintains referral & screening procedures for potential HUDN ASH veteran participates that meet national policy
• Conducts & participates in outreach activities including field interviews - assessments & referrals for homeless veterans contacted in the community - shelters - & \"on the streets -\" as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs - medical centers our outpatient clinics
• Assesses at risk factors & develops a preliminary plan - involving the veteran & family or significant others - & performs & insightful assessment of serious & complicated cases
• Provides referral to VA medical & mental health inpatient & outpatient treatment & to other VA services including VA benefits - as well as community-based social services & other non --VA entitlement programs
• Establishes procedures & coordinates the screening & admission process for the HUDVASH program
• Assists veterans in maintaining appointments at VA medical centers & other community agencies for medical - psychiatric - substance abuse - vocational & other services
• Has regular contact with staff from other VHA facilities - the VISN office & VA Central Office & is frequently involved in VISN & national VHA activities with VA homeless program peers & leaders & managers from other disciplines
• Due to the position requiring incumbent to be off station incumbent must possess & maintain a valid state driver's license
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 4 pm Telework: AD-HOC Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 55786-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Linda.orchard@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized