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. Learn more 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 degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation. NOTE: You must provide a copy of your Official Transcripts showing degree earned and conferred date. 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/. NOTE: You must provide a copy of your current, valid, and unrestricted Social Worker License. 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. NOTE: 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. NOTE: You must provide a copy of your Advanced Practice level licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II, Appendix G39 dated: September 10, 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting (Under 15 lbs.), Moderate carrying (15-44 lbs.), Use of fingers, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Hearing (aid permitted), Mental and emotional stability, Working inside and outside, Working closely with others, Working alone. ["Summary:\nThe Women's Trauma Therapist provides clinical psychosocial and Evidence Based Therapies to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs. The incumbent provides specialized treatment for Veterans who have experienced trauma which includes but is not limited to Military Sexual Trauma (MST). The incumbent will provide trauma informed therapies in both group and individual settings.\nThe duties and responsibilities of the Senior Social Worker (Women's Trauma Therapist) include but are not limited to:\nFunctions: Interviews Clients and Conducts Psychosocial Assessments.\nInterviews veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Interprets and explains VA's treatment and benefit programs.\nReviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Effectively uses professional skill, objectivity, and insight. Uses advanced clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Assesses high risk factors, acuity, and need for services.\nMakes Psychosocial Diagnoses.\nEvaluates the client's situation, including the veteran's reaction and ability to cope with his/her life stressors and arrives at a reasoned conclusion. Based on the psychosocial assessment, uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving the veteran and family or significant others. Performs insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness involving psychiatric, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses. Makes independent professional decisions and recommendations for agency action. Consequences to the veteran may be serious, and the results are often unpredictable.\nOn an inpatient/outpatient basis, finds a suitable means of treatment to help veterans and/or significant others copes with stressful situations. Treatment is aimed at helping veterans find practical solutions to problems.\nPlans Effective Treatment.\nDevelops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the veteran's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance, make initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals. Arrives at a reasoned conclusion as to the preferred course of agency action. Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. Coordinates screening of patients for provision of evidence based therapies, referral to mental health programs, and is able to incorporate different strategies to address ongoing care for presenting mental health needs.\nImplements Treatment.\nProvides clinical services to veterans and family members/significant others in support of the veteran's treatment. Provides individual and group therapy to patients and their families, on a regularly scheduled basis to engage in activities and/or discussion designed to improve patients' cognitive, social, emotional, vocational and/or behavioral functioning Gives advice, guidance, emotional support, and other assistance. Provides individual and group counseling services, including psychotherapy in some settings. Assists and encourages veterans and significant others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluating the situation realistically, considering alternative courses of action, and arriving at plans for using resources to resolve problems.\nOrganizes community services on behalf of beneficiaries, developing and coordinating procedures for use of these services by related staff. Develops working relationships and agreements with other organizations having responsibilities for the same patient population. Demonstrates acceptance, interest, encouragement, and selective use of questioning, explanation, and guidance in working with veterans to help them explore their problems. Employs Social Work methods and techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that will help the veteran work toward the best way of dealing with his/her problems. Work Schedule: M-F: 8:00am to 4:30pm\nTelework: Available: with supervisor's approval\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: Senior Social Worker, GS-0185-12; FS: 00000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Stacy.Hermann@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]