Summary

Incumbent serves as a core member of the interdisciplinary Trauma Recovery Division (TRD.) The TRD is a specialized program under the administration of the Behavioral Health Care Line. Incumbent works autonomously and provides expert level assessment and psychosocial interventions to Veterans with complex presentations who require expert level specialty care addressing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• 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
• 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
• Exception
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• 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 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
• 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Demonstrated experience providing trauma-focused care to individuals diagnosed with PTSD and other trauma-related disorders
• Proficient in delivering evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and/or Prolonged Exposure (PE) with a strong emphasis on treatment fidelity and trauma-informed care
• Skilled in guiding clients through structured protocols to reduce trauma symptoms and improve overall functioning within an interdisciplinary team environment
• 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: This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing
• viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers
• This position requires mostly periods of continued sitting - walking - and standing
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations
• At times the incumbent will need to exercise patience and control of emotions when engaging with patients
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on stakeholder needs.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Clinical Responsibilities (90-95% of time) Incumbent independently provides a comprehensive psychosocial and specialized diagnostic assessment of complex PTSD and integrates it into an overall plan of care in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Veteran - family members and significant others - whenever possible
• The goal of the assessment is to determine the Veteran's treatment needs to address symptoms of PTSD and to highlight the Veteran's strengths - limitations - and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the effectiveness of these treatments
• Incumbent possesses the advanced practice skills to independently make a clinical mental health diagnosis and offer psychosocial interventions - and then measures outcomes to interventions
• The incumbent participates and can lead weekly interdisciplinary treatment team meetings
• The incumbent is empowered to design systems changes based on observations - data and experience
• Ongoing assessments and updating treatment plans are done when necessary or upon completion or change in the course of the psychosocial intervention
• The incumbent practices using measurement-based care - making adjustments to the psychosocial treatment plan based on changing needs and response to interventions
• 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
• Has expert knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs - service connected compensation - and non-service connected pension
• Incumbent independently identifies and prioritizes high-risk patients and provides appropriate intervention or referral to mitigate risk
• Incumbent has working knowledge and experience in use of mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures
• Academic/Teaching/Training: (up to 5 % of time) Incumbent will serve as a subject matter expert to colleagues - providing professional opinions and support for psychosocial treatment of this complex population when consulted
• The incumbent also serves as a mentor to other social workers - particularly those at the entry level - and provides clinical supervision for unlicensed social workers
• Also supervises social work graduate students and provides a training experience for them in the Social Work Service
• They may also serve as a regional trainer for an evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) as part of the VA EBP Consultation Program
• Research/Program Evaluation (up to 5% time) Incumbent will collaborate in the performance improvement processes and support performance measures as required by the VA for their specialized population and/or program
• Incumbent is accountable and assigned administrative responsibility for clinical social work program development and effectiveness - to enhance or modify services as needed based on program effectiveness outcome data - performance monitors - and client feedback
• This may include coverage responsibilities in the absence of other staff to ensure timely access and coordination of care
• Other Significant Responsibilities (5% time) Incumbent will attend weekly MH&BS and Trauma Recovery meetings and other treatment team meetings as assigned up to
• Incumbent will perform all other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available (Ad hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 91553-A