Social Worker - Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs Counselor (Hiring Immediately)

Social Worker - Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs Counselor The Veterans Health Administration was seeking a Social Worker for the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs at the Sheridan VA Health Care System in Sheridan, WY. This position provides assessment, treatment planning, individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, case management, aftercare planning, patient and family education, interdisciplinary collaboration, clinical documentation, and consultation for Veterans receiving residential mental health, substance use disorder, PTSD, or serious mental illness services. Agency: Veterans Health Administration Facility: Sheridan VA Health Care System Location: Sheridan, WY Vacancies: 1 Salary: $76,981 - $121,089 per year Pay Scale & Grade: GS-9 to GS-11 Promotion Potential: GS-11 Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Appointment Type: Permanent Telework: Yes; ad-hoc telework eligible Remote/Virtual: Not available Travel Required: Not required Relocation Expenses: Not reimbursed Recruitment Incentive: May be authorized EDRP: Authorized; student loan reimbursement may be available up to $200,000, subject to eligibility and VHA approval. Application must be submitted within four months of appointment. Former EDRP participants are ineligible. PCS: Not authorized Drug Test: Not required Security Clearance: Not required Position Sensitivity/Risk: Non-sensitive / Low Risk Background Check: Credentialing and suitability/fitness required Financial Disclosure: Not required Federal Service: Excepted Service Union Representation: Yes Supervisory Status: No Series: 0185 Social Work Functional Statement: 51236-A, 51237-A Announcement Number: CBSU-12975990-26-CC Key Responsibilities: Identify problems and needs from assessments and develop individual treatment plans. Provide professional input to the treatment team regarding the social aspects of each Veteran's situation. Assist Veterans and the treatment team in navigating issues within the residential treatment milieu. Provide case management during admission and through post-discharge follow-up. Conduct therapeutic counseling according to clinical guidelines. Handle crises regularly with minimal supervision. Serve as therapist or counselor for individuals and groups. Observe and document patient behavior and reaction patterns for use by the multidisciplinary treatment team and for follow-up planning. Develop and conduct lectures and educational presentations related to general mental health, substance use disorder, PTSD, or serious mental illness. Educate Veterans, families, and treatment team members on available options and collaborate on preferred treatment or referral plans. Develop, organize, and implement outpatient aftercare treatment for patients and collaterals. Develop and implement methods to motivate Veterans to attend aftercare or participate in outpatient programming. Transport Veterans using a government vehicle when needed to help them access resources or complete essential business. Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing Veteran needs. Educate Veterans and caregivers about available services and assist with appropriate referrals based on Veteran or surrogate preference. Serve as field instructor, preceptor, or mentor to interns, new or unlicensed clinicians, newly licensed clinicians, and peers as needed. Enter all Veteran and family contacts into the electronic record using approved formats and templates. Maintain positive working relationships with VA employees, volunteers, consumers, stakeholders, and outside community agencies. Attend staff meetings, team meetings, committee meetings, and other required meetings. Collaborate in performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures, program office requirements, and local policies. Serve as consultant to medical center staff and trainees regarding psychosocial treatment and specialty-area care. Teach and mentor staff and students and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications when appropriate. Basic Qualifications: Must be a U.S. Citizen. Non-citizens may only be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy. Must be proficient in spoken and written English. Must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the required master's degree in social work. Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level, unless appointed under the GS-9 licensure exception. Applicants pending completion of educational, certification, or licensure requirements could be referred and tentatively selected but could not be hired until requirements were met. Must be subject to background/security investigation. Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959. Must complete all application requirements and online onboarding requirements. Must provide acceptable identification for employment eligibility verification. Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for Department of Veterans Affairs health care personnel. Must complete annual employee health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. Selected applicant will be required to serve a one-year or two-year trial period. Eligibility: This announcement was open to the public, including U.S. Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the United States. The two-page resume requirement did not apply to this position. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. This was an open continuous announcement with an initial applicant review cutoff date of June 11, 2026. This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. GS-9 Qualification Requirements: Entry grade level. No experience, education, or licensure beyond the basic requirements is required. Must demonstrate ability to use a Veteran-centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors. Must be able to assess psychosocial functioning and needs and formulate treatment plans identifying problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and needed assistance. Must be able to implement treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups using supportive, problem-solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and community agency representatives. Must have fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, common medications, effects and side effects, and medical terminology. GS-11 Qualification Requirements: Full performance level for this announcement. Must have at least one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in health care or another social work-related setting. Must hold state licensure or certification at the independent practice level. A doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Must demonstrate knowledge of community resources and ability to make appropriate referrals to community and governmental agencies. Must independently conduct psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions with individuals from varied backgrounds. Must understand medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, common medications, effects and side effects, and medical terminology. Must independently implement treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems. Must be able to provide consultation to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about psychosocial needs and treatment compliance. Preferred Experience: Extensive experience in individual and group therapies for PTSD and substance use disorder. Training in evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and other evidence-based protocols. Experience working within interdisciplinary teams, including medical providers, psychiatrists, nursing staff, and case managers. Proficiency in suicide prevention and mental health crisis care. Ability to provide episodic treatment. Certification in evidence-based psychotherapies. VA systems experience. Education: Master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school of social work is required. Graduates of schools in candidacy status do not meet the requirement until the school is fully accredited. Education must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be supported by a certificate of foreign equivalency if used to meet qualification requirements. Transcript was required if using education to qualify. Physical Requirements: Must be physically and mentally able to perform essential functions efficiently without hazard to self or others. Requires visual acuity, with corrective lenses permitted. Requires keen hearing, with hearing aid permitted. Requires clear and distinctive speech and manual dexterity. May require moderate lifting and carrying between 15 and 44 pounds. May involve occasional exposure to patients who are combative due to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Requires maturity, flexibility, judgment, and ability to work effectively in stressful situations. Requires ability to shift priorities based on patient needs. Requires ability to move within ADA-compliant workspaces, including travel between buildings. Evaluation Criteria: Applicants were