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. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English
• 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
• Note: 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)
• GS 12 Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• 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: Experience working as part of an interdisciplinary team treating mental health diagnoses including severe mental illness - completion of diagnostic mental health assessments - and providing evidence-based/recovery-oriented psychotherapy
• Experience with completing home/community visits
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
• Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
• the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
• However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Senior Social Worker position is within the Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services (ICMHRS) program and provides clinical community-based case management services to Veterans diagnosed with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) - severe functional impairment - and high inpatient mental health unit utilization - in coordination with existing community and VA services
• The program's services are recovery-oriented and are primarily delivered to veterans in the community
• These services are delivered by an integrated - multidisciplinary team with a focus on a high intensity of care - crisis prevention and management - flexibility - and community-oriented setting
• Further - ICMHRS focuses on rehabilitation through practical problem solving - crisis resolution - and adaptive skills building - with transition to self-care and independent living where possible
• Duties of the Senior Social Worker include - but are not limited to: Provides social work services and helps to develop and coordinate the intensive case management services that are provided by the ICMHRS team to veterans in the community
• Helps team leads in conducting - evaluating - and coordinating the execution of the program (this may include helping to coordinate the following activities: day-to-day staffing schedules - staff productivity - program/staff efficiency - program/staffing cost effectiveness - quality performance - outcomes and/or coordination of clinic effectiveness and clinic productivity)
• Conducts program analysis - provides appropriate assessments of the outcomes and makes recommendations as needed
• Manages a caseload and provides social work services to veterans enrolled in the ICMHRS program
• These services include screening - crisis intervention - on-call services - case management - individual - group and family therapy - family interventions as needed - home visits - hospital visits - and assisting veterans with medical appointments and discharge planning
• Assists in transporting veterans at times - when needed and clinically appropriate - to medical appointments - team meetings - or to assist the veteran with essential services
• Establishes and maintains effective relationships with veterans with SMI and their families and their community support staff
• Works independently with veterans and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and social problems utilizing individual - group - family therapy and therapy skills
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm (subject to change based on agency need) 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 for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 580-01205-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized