Senior Social Worker - HUD VASH Substance Use Disorders

Job Title

Substance Use Disorder Professional

Major Duties

Provides direct SUD services for HUD-VASH Veterans within the medical center and the community.

Provides assessment and treatment to high-risk Veterans who are using substances and provides support and aftercare to Veterans who have achieved sobriety.

Develops comprehensive treatment plans with the Veteran that address the factors that contributed to homelessness, including SUD and other co-occurring factors within a recovery model framework.

Provides SUD support to the HUD-VASH team as a functional member of this team, to include consultation, interventions, or accompanying other case managers on home visits, when indicated by suspicion of/confirmed HUD-VASH participant substance use.

Provides training for other members of the multidisciplinary treatment team in areas related to SUD assessment, anger management, life skills, and SUD with co-occurring disorders.

Serves as a lead to provide clinical guidance around Substance Use Disorders to less experienced GS-11 social workers on assigned team.

Guides discussions on appropriate acuity levels for Veterans based on presenting issues and strategies with team members on ways to manage challenging patients.

Serves as a Care Coordination and Intensive Case Management Lead Coordinator for Veterans within the HUD-VASH Program who require complex care coordination.

Provides liaison services with other programs referring to homeless Veterans with Substance Use Disorders to HUD-VASH to ensure continuity of care and promote successful transition of Veterans from one program to another.

Follows CTVHCS standard operating procedures for evaluating and mitigating suicide risk to include completing the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale (C-SSRS), the Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation, and a Safety Plan via shared template in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) on all patients at intake, with Veterans with suicidal ideation and on any Veteran whose record is flagged "High Risk for Suicide." Additionally, completes the Suicide Behavior and Overdose Report (SBOR) as clinically indicated.

Practices group psychotherapy with Veterans who have Substance Abuse Disorders and utilizes time limited individual evidence based therapeutic techniques (such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as needed with assigned Veterans.

Conducts an intake assessment with Veterans referred to the HUD-VASH program including a comprehensive psychosocial assessment with multi-axial diagnostic evaluation to determine the needs of veterans and family members as well as the acuity level of Veteran. Additionally, completing a HOMES assessment, referral, and program entry.

Educates the Veteran and his or her family about the process of obtaining a HUDVASH voucher with the local housing authority and assisting the Veteran and/or his/her family with navigating this process and selecting a unit for housing. Helping Veterans obtain all necessary documentation required by the PHA for voucher assistance.

Provides housing search assistance to Veterans in HUD-VASH, including choices from an array of housing within the Veteran's preferred community.

Reviews agreements between Section 8, landlords, Public Housing Authorities, and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements.

Provides transportation to Veterans in the HUD-VASH program as needed to assist with obtaining or maintaining permanent housing.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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

Ad-Hoc only.

Functional Statement #

55863-F