Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - 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

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 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/
• 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 (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
• 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services

Duties

• The Senior Social Worker works within the RRTP program providing EBP based psychotherapy/ psychoeducation and treatment coordination
• This position focuses on helping Resident Veterans experiencing a wide range of complicated mental - addiction - behavioral - physical - psychosocial - and environmental problems
• In addition to working individually with Residents - group psychotherapy is also expected
• The position's goal is to maximize rehabilitation and treatment potential while assisting Veterans in achieving abstinence - emotional - economic - and housing stability before returning to their community of choice
• FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES 1
• Independently conducts psychosocial assessments
• Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions
• 2
• Incumbent must be able to independently implement the recovery model of treatment
• The incumbent will carry a caseload and develop treatment plans - and will utilize the initial assessment to mutually develop treatment goals with the Veteran and guides the plan of care towards meeting those goals
• 3
• Requires a high level understanding of treatment coordination and discharge planning - working within the VA system to assist Veteran in re-engaging in their community of choice upon discharge
• Provides ongoing treatment coordination services from admission until discharge coordinating closely with the entire treatment team
• 4
• Provides treatment coordination services to a caseload of Residential Veterans
• Daily 30 minute group treatment coordination meetings for assigned caseload
• Meets individually with Veterans on assigned caseload a minimum of once every other week
• 5
• Provision of a minimum of 15 group hours a week and supplemental individual sessions as needed and recommended by the treatment team 6
• Incumbent is able to coordinate community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community agency programs
• 7
• Independently identifies high-risk patients
• Provides crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint - coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members
• Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology
• 8
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families
• Incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical and social problems utilizing individual - group and family counseling and therapy skills
• 9
• Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan
• 10
• Ability to evaluate incumbents own practice through professional peer review - case conferences and other organizational means
• Incumbent is able to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds
• SUPERVISORY CONTROL The GS-12 social worker reports to a supervisor within the RRTP Service
• The social worker obtains and/or participates in continuing education and clinical supervision to maintain independent licensure
• GS-12 social workers are considered full performance clinicians and will have an LCSW
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Recruitment and Relocation authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact - V20CompensationTeam@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized