Senior Social Worker (Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program)

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.

Qualifications:

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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

3. Education: Candidates must 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.

4. 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/.


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:

Senior Social Worker, 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39

The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Hearing required (aids permitted)

Responsibilities:

Incumbent is assigned to the Mental Health Service at VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) and functions as a member of a Behavioral Health interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team. Services are carried out in full accordance with specific program goals and broad objectives of the VA health care system. The incumbent will focus primarily on addressing the complex mental health needs of Veterans who often are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal and psychosocial concerns. The incumbent provides comprehensive assessments within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice and provides treatment to patients experiencing behavioral health challenges, with an emphasis on evidenced based therapy.

The duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Clinical Services:
  • Independently provides specialized services for complex patients with service delivery to include intake evaluation, diagnostic assessments, psychotherapy and patient education. Best practices, practice guidelines and evidence-based treatment protocols are utilized to the extent feasible in all therapeutic interventions.
  • Develops person-centered, culturally sensitive treatment plans to address the complex mental health needs of patients, with measurable goals outlined.
  • Appropriately assesses and addresses crisis situations, formulates crisis plans, provides crisis interventions and follow up intervention services, developing individualized treatment plans, with particular regard for addressing situations related to harm to self, others or grave disability. Incumbent may assist in arranging involuntary/voluntary admissions as needed.
  • Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients.
  • Attends regularly scheduled treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery to specialized patient populations.
  • The incumbent 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 Mental Health and VANCHCS. The incumbent assumes responsibility and shows initiative for own learning and professional development, demonstrating the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certification.
• Additional Responsibilities:
  • Timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.
  • Uses diagnostic knowledge of the patient's need(s) to make referrals to a variety of VA and non-VA resources in support of the treatment objective of the patient.
  • Collaborates with community, health, welfare, and service agencies.
  • Attends trainings sponsored by the VISN, VAMC and NASW recognized training programs to enhance knowledge, skills and abilities.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday to Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Yes, Ad-hoc Telework - as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000/Senior Social Worker
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required