Senior Social Worker

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

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. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Proficiency Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: 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
• 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 going to SW Licensure Summary by State
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Senior Social Worker - GS-12 (Above the Full Performance Level) GS 12 Education and Experience
• 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
• GS 12 Licensure: 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
• GS 12 Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate 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: Knowledge of interventions and resources associated with the following: Tribal Citizens and Tribal Entities - Homeless Population - Substance Use Disorders - Mental Health Disorders and Community Based Services
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• This vacancy is be announced above the full performance level at a GS-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Duties

• VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent in this senior social work position provides housing and case management services to homeless veterans
• In 1992 the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) established the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program
• The HUD-VASH programs are collaborative efforts to provide veterans with rental assistance through Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) or Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) and through the VAs provision of intensive case management services
• The primary goal of HUD-VASH is to move veterans and their families out of homelessness
• The primary component of the program is VA case management services - designed to improve veterans health and mental health - enhancing their ability to remain stable - housed and community-integrated
• Major Duties and Responsibilities: The incumbent provides social work services at program offices or field location alone or with peer or subordinate team members without a supervisor available for consultation
• The incumbent works directly with veterans within various community housing settings and community sites and provides supportive case management services and partners with community agencies to link access to community-wide housing services for veterans
• The incumbent provides services such as psychosocial assessments - treatment planning - individual - group - and family therapy - discharge planning and follow-up - crisis intervention - case management assistance - resource development - and coordination related to these services as clinically indicated
• The incumbent will provide case management and referral assistance to the veterans that assist consumers in meeting their goals and objectives within a psychosocial rehabilitation framework that allows successful reintegration into community living
• The incumbent completes - maintains - and assures the accuracy and timeliness of all statistical information provided to HOMES
• The incumbent makes independent professional decisions and recommendations with infrequent recourse to supervisory guidance
• Plans - develops and maintains a network of relationships with community resources and other advocates for the homeless to effectively screen and identify veteran members of the homeless population
• Depending upon need - the incumbent makes VA or community based referrals - advocates for scarce resources - confirms referrals are completed and provides intensive follow-up and coordination with these agencies
• Interviews potential clients - interprets VHA guidelines and eligibility requirements and completes a psychosocial history and assessment
• Coordinates the screening and admission multi-disciplinary team and provides primary input for program candidates
• Documents the patient assessment and all treatment plans in accordance with the requirements of Medical Center policy and requirements of various accrediting bodies
• Employs casework methods and techniques to maintain a therapeutic relationship that will help the client work towards the best way of dealing with his/her problems
• Provides direct social work - mental health - and substance abuse intervention services for veterans and family members or significant others in support of the veterans treatment
• Other Duties as Assigned Work Schedule: Monday- Friday - 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 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: May be available on a situational basis Functional Statement #: 55660-A

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.