Senior Social Worker - Primary Care - Mental Health Integration (PCMHI)

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

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
• 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
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to 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
• 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: 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
• Preferred Experience: Working as a member of a collaborative multidisciplinary care team
• Providing behavioral health services through telehealth modalities
• Implementing evidence-based assessment and intervention practices
• Providing behavioral health services in Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) or similar setting
• At least two years of post-licensure professional experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of 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 PCMHI Social Worker is a co-located - collaborative care behavioral health provider who serves as a member of the primary care clinic's multidisciplinary health care teams - and who delivers direct care and consultation-based services to Veterans - primary care providers - and allied Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members to manage the overall health of the enrolled population
• Duties include - but are not limited to: Accepting warm handoffs and referrals from PACT members - and triages - assesses - and refers to specialty behavioral health care services appropriately and efficiently in accordance with principles of stepped care
• Using functional assessment - evidence-based intervention - and consultation techniques to address common behavioral health problems (e.g. - depression - anxiety - sleep problems - stress) and health behavior concerns (e.g. - chronic pain - obesity - diabetes - tobacco use)
• Conducting risk assessments and safety planning as clinically indicated and in accordance with VA policy and clinical practice standards
• Writing assessment - intervention - and consultation notes that include all required elements and that are brief - clear - concise - and readable
• Using diagnosis and procedure codes that are accurate and appropriate for the setting and the service provided
• Functioning as subject matter expert in providing consultation and education to PACTs on assessment - intervention - referrals - and resources for behavioral health and health behavior concerns
• Maintaining regular communication and effective collaboration with PACT members during episodes of direct care
• Routinely attending regularly scheduled PACT huddles or team meetings or conducts rounding or other proactive outreach to PACTs
• Consistently meets performance metrics related to productivity - same day access - brief encounter fidelity - and timeliness of documentation and clinical communication
• Participating in development - implementation - and evaluation of the PCMHI program to optimize the delivery of behavioral health services and improve access - utilization - and outcomes of care as well as patient satisfaction
• Regularly attend PCMHI Community of Practice and Integrated Care Monthly Education conference calls
• Attend Mental Health Service meetings as schedule permits
• Consistently follow VA - VHSO - Mental Health Service - and program administrative policies and supervisory guidance
• Adhere to relevant professional ethical codes
• local - state
• and federal laws
• compliance and accreditation standards
• and safety - privacy - and information security policies and protocols
• Teaching and mentoring staff and trainees to enhance their professional growth - development - and competence
• Provides supervision for licensure or specialty certifications as needed
• Providing education to Veterans - their families and caregivers - VA staff - and other relevant stakeholders about behavioral health issues - services - and resources
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm - subject to change based on the needs of the facility
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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 Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 564-00545-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.