Senior Social Worker (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
• 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 Master of Social Work
• Licensure
• People 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
• 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: 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: 1 year of PCMHI experience and/or PCMHI fidelity training certification
• References: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standards - GS-185 - Veterans Health Administration
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required - as is performing activities involving sitting - walking - and standing - bending and carrying such items as books - papers - and files
• In carrying out responsibilities - it may be necessary to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans - their families - representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies
• Must possess current driver's license and be able to drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary.

Duties

• The Senior Social Worker (SSW) is assigned to the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Program for face to face or via telework within the Mental Health Service
• The goal of the PCMHI Program is to promote effective treatment of common mental health conditions in the primary care setting through a system of integrated care for physical and mental health while promoting patient engagement and adherence to care
• Duties include - but are not limited to: Knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - identify level of functioning - and degree of impairment in occupational - social - academic - interpersonal - and family functioning
• Perform mental status exams
• Identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions
• Possess knowledge of the criteria and state laws for legal commitment and involuntary hospitalization
• Ability to assess and intervene in cases of suspected abuse
• Provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals - families - and groups
• Ability to use medical and mental health diagnoses and treatment procedures in working with diverse populations and circumstances to includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries - psychiatric - medical - and social problems
• Basic knowledge of common medications and their effects/side effects
• Ability to determine the presenting problem - as well as in-home factors impacting the problem - and determine barriers to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments
• Collaborate with community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services for Veterans
• Establish a collaborative relationship with a wide range of health care providers including medical and psychiatric providers - to include physicians - medical social workers - nurses - psychologists - pharmacists - and others
• Social work case management coordination with members of the treatment team to ensure a collaborative effort to meet the treatment goals for a Veteran
• Work in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Team and the Local Recovery Coordinator and be well versed in suicide prevention Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Perform advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with poly-trauma injuries - spinal cord injuries - traumatic brain injuries - visual impairment - posttraumatic stress disorder - addictions - and serious mental illness
• Maintain familiarity with performance measures that pertain to their practice
• Documentation of staff interventions and activities in the computerized patient record system (CPRS) and ensure appropriate hand off using Situation - Background - Assessment - Recommendations (SBAR) when transferring patient's care
• Document all contacts with patients and families in CPRS
• Complete statistical and other reports in accordance with SAVAHCS and respective professional discipline service policies
• Collaborate with SAVAHCS multi-disciplinary teams and participate in committee assignments as needed
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m
• to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• work schedule - but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service
• Compressed/Flexible: May be available
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date
• 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
• Contact View email address on careers.biausa.org for questions/assistance
• 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: Telework for highly qualified candidates after supervisor determines readiness
• eligibility will be discussed during the interview process
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

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.