Senior Social Worker

Senior Social Worker

This Social Worker position is in Mental Health services at the VA Boston Health Care System, located at the VA Plymouth Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). The Senior Social Worker is part of the Mental Health Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System and is assigned to the General Mental Health Clinic (GMH) section. The Senior Social Worker serves a Veteran population comprised of complex outpatients with a range of MH disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, substance-use disorders, personality disorders, and others. Additional duties include but are not limited to:

• Psychotherapy: The Social Worker has the ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The Incumbent possesses the knowledge and ability to independently implement evidence-based psychotherapies (e.g., problem-solving, coping, and emotion-regulation interventions). In accordance with current social work theory and practice, the social worker selects and implements appropriate referrals for individual, group and family systems.
• Treatment Planning. The Social Worker develops and updates/modifies psychosocial treatment plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. The Social Worker initiates and affects changes in methods and interventions to promote efficient practice and improve patient outcomes. Barriers to treatment goals are noted and outcomes are evaluated and documented. Decisions about treatment plan modifications are based on the social worker's advanced practice skills and professional judgment and expertise regarding the Veteran's self-care capability, the family support system, the Veteran's health care needs and possible consequences.
• Care coordination and Case management: The Social Worker coordinates care within VA and across VA/Community Services. The Social Worker collaborates with other providers as appropriate. In addition, the Social Worker collaborates with Inpatient staff as needed related to shared patients. The Social Worker communicates regarding psychosocial issues pertinent to shared cases and provides information on resources to facilitate the discharge planning process. The Social Worker is knowledgeable about resources for a varied population and makes referrals to VA resources as well as community resources as appropriate.
• Crisis intervention/suicide prevention: The Social Worker has the skills and abilities to manage MH crisis evaluation and intervention, as needed.
• Education/Health promotion and prevention: The Social Worker provides education to the patient and/or caregiver, including education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives (Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare/Healthcare Proxy). The Social Worker will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs, as appropriate.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be available. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized 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, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Telework: Ad-Hoc-Determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: F08400 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Notifications: 1. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. 2. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. 3. This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position. 4. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. 5. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.