Social Worker - Assistant Chief of Mental Health

Summary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

Learn more about this agency

Help

Duties

Hines Associate Chief of the Mental Health Service Line is an exciting opportunity to oversee clinical and administrative management of more than 30 programs within a high-performing system of mental health care providing a broad spectrum of services within a collaborative culture. The role includes responsibility for all operations within a large service line; maintaining and improving clinical performance and optimal Veteran experience of care; and working closely with leadership both within and outside of the MHSL. Reports to the Chief of Mental Health.

The Social Work Associate Chief of the Mental Health Service Line is assigned to a care line management role at Hines VAH, a Complexity Level 1a (High Complexity) VHA facility, and has responsibility for operations of over 30 clinical programs and direct or indirect oversight of nearly 300 staff. The GS-15 Assoc. Chief of MHSL possesses supervisory and management skills, is licensed in the state of Illinois at the advanced practice level and is able to provide supervision for Social Work licensure.

Responsible for staffing, work assignments, budget, services provided, program criteria, day-to-day program operations, and all reporting requirements. Incumbent provides analysis and evaluation of program data to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service. They develop and monitor staff compliance with practice, standards and guidelines. Incumbent serves as consultant to the facility in matters of MHSL operations.

• Assoc. Chief of the MHSL oversees all clinical and administrative responsibilities of the MHSL.
• Develop, maintain, and oversee mental health programs in all settings. This includes identifying needs for assessment, evaluation, and treatment; determining priority needs for mental health services; and recommending adjustments to staffing levels accordingly.
• Participates in the development and coordination of Hospital plan for patient care and is involved as a consultant in decisions where MHSL practice is impacted.
• The ability to provide supervision for social work licensure and practice supervision for all facility social workers.
• Direct and consultative authority, the Assoc. Chief of the MHSL serves as a vital professional influence and resource to local leadership in their compliance with standards defined by accrediting organizations, such as The Joint Commission and Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards.
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Incumbent provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.
• Promptly informs appropriate management officials, information security officer of any reported or personally observed suspected serious violations of computer security or information confidentiality.
• Follows Life Safety Management (fire protection) procedures. Reports safety hazards, accidents and injuries. Reviews hazardous materials/Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)/waste management. Follows Emergency Preparedness plan. Follows security policies/procedures.
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Title/Functional Statement #:Social Worker - Assistant Chief of Mental Health/PD0000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job

All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

You may be required to serve a probationary period

Subject to a background/security investigation

Must be proficient in written and spoken English

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

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.
• 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). 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/.
  
  

GS-15 Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Experience/Education. The social work program manager at the GS-15 grade level must have at least four years of experience as a VA clinical social worker with at least one-year equivalent to the GS-14 grade level. The social work program manager must evidence possession of progressively higher supervisory and management skills. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. The individual may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Licensure/Certification. The social work manager must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to manage and direct unusually large interdisciplinary programs, complex organizational units, apply effective management practices, plan, design, implement, and evaluate a program(s) that encompasses a wide range of facility/healthcare system/VISN/CO activities.
• Ability to oversee issues related to budget projections and participate with senior leaders from the governing body, management and staff in upholding the facility mission, vision, value and strategic plan to include directly interacting with elected officials on VA related issues/concerns (i.e., members of Congress, Veterans Service Organizations, State and Local entities).
• Knowledge in establishing policy, procedures and quality monitors while considering multiple priorities, funding sources, and varying resources.
• Skill in assessing need for basic and complex services across multiple programmatic patient care venues, coordinate and expand the efforts of multiple program elements across a complex system.
• Knowledge to complete all program evaluations and documents required by the medical center, VISN and VHA Central Office, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission (TJC), Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).
• Ability to orient, teach and serve as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the clinical social work characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding Veterans, family members and caregivers.
• Skill in balancing responsibilities in a complex environment and to work with great autonomy, set priorities and delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines; analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions for those problems.
• Ability to promote and effectively manage a culturally diverse workforce which embraces the values and needs of all individuals through long-term commitment, strategic and business planning, education, experience which broadens the mindset and by fully managing human resources.
  
  

Preferred Experience: Strong background in the delivery of Mental Health care much preferred. Management experience (preferably four years (or more) required.



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 15.



Physical Requirements: . See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Read more

• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Edward Hines Junior Hospital

5000 South 5th Avenue

Hines, IL 60141

US