Senior Social Worker

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program. Eligible applicants must meet specific individual requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit their 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 a complete review of the EDRP application. 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 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 visiting to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work. NOTE: You must submit transcripts (unofficial is sufficient) AND a license with your application. 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 visiting English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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 demonstrate advanced practice skills, judgment, and expertise 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 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 includes an advanced generalist or clinical examination unless grandfathered by the state (excluding California). They must also provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge – Skills – and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. 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, using 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. 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. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior social workers typically practice in major program areas such as Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, national VHA referral centers (e.g., Center for Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder, Transplant Center), or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for 10 clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings with limited onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. The senior social worker collaborates with other treatment team members to provide comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensuring equity of access and the highest quality care. The senior social worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in‑service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. The senior social worker serves on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN, national, or community level as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive, or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment is intentionally limited in number based on the size of the facility/service, applying sound position management. These assignments represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12; the actual grade for selection is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 – Employee Occupational Health Services. Duties The Senior Social Worker position is located in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) – Southeast Network (VISN 7) – VA Augusta Health Care System (VAAHCS) in Augusta, GA, within the Mental Health Service. The Senior Social Worker serves as an independently licensed clinician within the Primary Care‑Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) program. Duties include, but are not limited to, providing applied advanced clinical skills and case management services in a specialized program. Provides brief, evidence‑based interventions targeting conditions commonly seen in PCMHI (e.g., depression, anxiety, adjustment, stress, insomnia, chronic disease management, health behavior change). Interacts with patients, families, significant others, community agencies, and other staff. Collaborates closely with Primary Care Providers (PCPs), nurses, and other team members to support shared treatment planning and coordinated care. Provides real‑time behavioral health consultation to primary care staff regarding mental health symptoms, risk factors, behavior change strategies, motivational approaches, treatment options, and referrals. Coordinates social work services with other programs of service to the same group of clients. Provides advanced practice psychological assessment services and diagnoses mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients. Assists with program development, evaluation, and effectiveness. Provides clinical psychosocial and case management services at an advanced practice level for Veterans. Provides supportive counseling and appropriate case management services to reduce Veteran stress throughout all phases of treatment. Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Interviews clients and conducts psychosocial assessments. Develops collaborative mental health treatment plans and provides appropriate case management services. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): May be authorized for a highly qualified candidate. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io for questions or assistance. Compensation: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. Paid Time Off: 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year (13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays). Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment – up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for 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, up to a monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% 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; this is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 56280F; Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr