Summary

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. Program 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

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
• 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/
• 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: GS-12 Senior Social Worker (1) Experience and 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
• Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment - demonstrating progressively more professional competency
• Candidate 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
• (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 - the candidate 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
• All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package
• We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications
• Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification
• It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience in Primary Care Mental Health
• 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: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking talking driving use of the telephone etc
• strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their daily activities
• Light lifting and carrying - under 1 5 pounds
• Hearing aid permitted as needed
• Work Environment: The incumbent observes normal safety precautions while working primarily in an office type environment
• Most of the incumbent' s work takes place in environments that are clean - well-lit - and free of hazards
• There are possible ongoing exposures to individuals experiencing psychiatric - substance related - and medical illnesses - which include - but not limited to infections - and/or violent/aggressive behavior.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Senior Social Worker functions as part of an interdisciplinary care team in the primary care clinic at the Santa Rosa Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)
• The PCMHI Senior Social Worker delivers brief - consultation-based services to Veterans - primary care providers - and allied Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members
• The focus is on general service delivery for a wide range of concerns and resolving problems within the primary care service context
• Behavioral health visits are brief (generally 20-30 minutes) - limited in number (1-6 visits) - and are provided in the primary care service
• The PCMHI Senior Social Worker may be involved in program evaluation - teaching - training - and research activities
• The incumbent understands and applies professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• provides professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• and maintains knowledge of clinical research literature
• The incumbent does not administratively supervise staff or write performance appraisals
• The incumbent may provide supervision of trainees
• Duties and Responsibilities include but not limited to: Performs evaluations for patient conditions such as depression - anxiety - substance abuse and general emotional and cognitive functioning
• The assessment and care provided accommodate the cognitive - emotional - chronological maturation - and diversity needs of the person served
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions with a strong emphasis on evidence-based models of care
• Provides brief - structured evidence-based psychotherapy and counseling
• Consults with ambulatory care staff and primary care providers on a wide variety of patient care issues pertinent to medical treatment and psychosocial recovery
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions for patients - assesses adjustment to illness/injury - understands the contribution of medical conditions to current emotional functioning and vice versa
• provides recommendations to primary care providers
• develops treatment plans and recommendations - coordinates referral to other Mental Health Programs when indicated - assists Veterans in achieving goals of psychosocial rehabilitation
• Consults with other medical center staff on patient care issues pertinent to medical treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation
• Assumes responsibility for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation
• Conducts assessments appropriate to individual patients with attention to the implications of test results for veteran's every day - real-world function and successful treatment/management of mental health problems and other health conditions such as insomnia - diabetes - hypertension - and chronic pain
• Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 662-07318F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized