Senior Social Worker - Substance Use Disorder

Summary

The Social Worker practices in the VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (VAECHCS) assigned to the outpatient Substance Use Disorders Clinic under the Mental Health Service. The incumbent participates as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team.

This is a multi-discipline announcement and can be filled by either a Psychologist, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor and Social Worker.

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Duties

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Senior Social Worker dutiesinclude, but aren't limited to the following:

• The Senior Social Worker actively implements evidence-based treatments within the SUD Clinic.
• The Senior Social Worker, in addition to the functions listed below, provides clinical supervision towards licensure in social work or addictions counseling and/or actively represents the SUD Clinic in facility or VISN-level workgroups/committees.
• The Senior Social Worker provides clinical consultation to other members of the workgroup, as needed.
• The Senior Social Worker provides administrative and/or clinical coverage in the absence of the Program Manager, Detox/MAT Coordinator, or as other clinical needs indicate.
• The incumbent, being trained and experienced in the assessment and treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders completes all components of the intake and assessment process and develops a treatment plan pertaining to all assessed needs.
• The incumbent, being trained and experienced in case management, serves as case manager for a panel of patients, the size of which is commensurate with other clinicians on the staff of the SUD Clinic. As case manager, the incumbent attends to a broad range of patient needs that are not fully met directly through the clinical services provided by the SUD Clinic itself, including but not limited to those needs dealing with physical health, employment, finances, family, social support, and housing.
• The incumbent, being trained and experienced in crisis management, provides same-day services, as needed, for Veterans, including referring patients for emergency medical treatment, psychiatric medication evaluation, SUD specialty care or non-medical detoxification as well as coordinating the admission of patients to the inpatient psychiatric unit of the nearest VA Medical Center or local non-VA facilities.
• The incumbent, being trained and experienced in the treatment of patients with substance use disorders, and cooccurring disorders, provides a range of treatment services, including but not limited to individuals and group treatment. Group treatment includes psycho educational as well as psychotherapeutic groups. The incumbent utilizes evidence-based treatment methods whenever possible. They employ Motivational Interviewing skills and techniques, as clinically indicated, and applies, as clinically indicated, interventions based on both abstinence and harm reduction approaches to substance use disorders.
• The incumbent assesses patient interest in and eligibility for Medication Assisted Therapies and provides referrals for evaluation for these treatments.
• The incumbent participates in triage services through the daily same-day access clinics and assists with drug and alcohol monitoring, as needed, in conjunction with psychosocial services.
• The incumbent is responsible for timely follow up with Veterans on their case load who prematurely drop out of treatment in compliance with any VA policies or SOPs.
• The incumbent actively participates in weekly staff meetings and team huddles regarding clinical, administrative, and staff development issues.
• The incumbent maintains up-to-date charting in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), documenting all assessment, treatment and case management contacts with patients. Documentation meets all local, state, and national guidelines and is completed in a professional and timely manner.
• The incumbent actively participates in program planning and development, making recommendations for changes in policies and procedures as needed, as opportunities arise.
• The incumbent takes responsibility for meeting continuing education requirements and completing all mandatory trainings including those accessed on the Talent Management System (TMS). The incumbent participates in the planning and executing of specific staff-development projects, attends seminars and other training events, and participates in the training programs of other disciplines (psychology, psychiatry, nursing, addiction counseling) as requested.
• General knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, and non-service-connected pension is required. The incumbent facilitates referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility.
• The incumbent may provide services in Community Based Outpatient locations other than their assigned duty station and/or may provide services to these locations over Telehealth, including VA Video Connect and other technology.

Work Schedule : 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday

Telework : Not available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 54772-A

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 :

• U.S. Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written 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. 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 the social worker position GS-0185 series in the 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

Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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 Determination Requirements:

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.

AND

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.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1) 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.

2) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.

3) 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.

4) 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.

5) 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 providing individual and group psychotherapy to individuals with addictive disorders, including dual diagnosis.

References: Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements:

The position is generally of a sedentary nature and involves activities normally associated with the counseling process and office work, including sitting for long periods of time. No unusual physical demands are placed on the incumbent. The work requires extreme patience and control of emotions in a multi-disciplinary work setting.

Primarily light and sedentary duties, occasional moderate physical demands

Able to sit at desk for prolonged periods of time-typing/using mouse & keyboard

Frequently engages in light to moderate physical activities including sitting, walking, bending and carrying supplies up to 35 pounds

Must be able to exercise patience and control emotions

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must include your name, the school's entire name, can be unofficial transcripts, must have the name of the course, date course taken, grade received for the course, amount of credits earned for the course, date degree conferred, (if applicable), (name of degree received, (if applicable).

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.