Career Center

Summary

The position of Senior Social Worker is located within the Mental Health Special Services Division in Primary Care at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. This individual is assigned in settings where they have limited access to supervision such as CBOC and also may work as the sole mental health provider in Primary Care providing weekend hours and later day appointments to accommodate Veteran care needs.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker GS12 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 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
• Licensure/Certification 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates 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
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the Social Worker 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 a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site
• a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center - or a national VHA referral center - such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national 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 clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics
• The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans - ensures equity of access - service - and benefits to this population - ensures the care provided is of the highest quality
• The senior social worker provides leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff
• They serve on committees - work groups - and task forces at the facility - VISN and national level - or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor - Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services
• This assignment must 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 https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• Duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Assists the PCMHI Program Manager in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program
• Supports training to PC teams to support clinical care needs and meeting national directives
• Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services
• Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures - including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g. - entering diagnostic and procedure codes)
• Actively participates in leadership roles on local - state and national professional organizations
• Represents the medical center at professional/program community group/events and committees
• As directed by supervisor - may represent the Medical Center or Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees
• Develops - implements - and documents treatment goals and interventions - including prompt completion of clinical reminders
• Maintains and employs current knowledge of published research findings that are relevant to PCMHI
• Screening - assessment - diagnosis - and treatment of depressive and anxiety-related disorders - substance use disorders - as well as other mental health conditions via warm handoff - with an emphasis on the application of PCMHI time-limited - evidence-based - Whole Health approaches
• Provides same day access to care
• Evaluates and addresses urgent high risk Veterans and determines appropriate level of care
• Provides consultation to interdisciplinary team in the management of psychiatric emergencies including those at risk of harm to self/others
• Provides clinical interventions independently and in various VA and community settings
• Allows for flexibility to provide services after hours and on weekends
• Establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with Veterans and their loved ones through engagement - rapport building - instilling hope - and offering support
• Utilizes advanced clinical training - insight - and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options
• Utilizes advanced clinical skills and training to provide interventions to Veterans considered a high risk population and their loved ones
• Maintains current knowledge of VA and community resources and provides the Veteran and their loved one with referrals to services as needed
• Works collaboratively with other programs and disciplines to promote continuity of care while providing treatment interventions in conjunction with other services the Veteran may be receiving
• Assesses and provides treatments for subclinical symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety - adjustment difficulties - & use or misuse of alcohol or other drugs (for which the Veteran may have a lower than normal tolerance due to their medical conditions and the potential for negative interactions with prescribed medication)
• Provides psychoeducational and supportive interventions to the families/caregivers of Veterans being served by PCMHI - when such care is directly related to the overall treatment plan for the Veteran and will allow better care for the Veteran
• Provides consultation services virtual/in person to primary care providers and other PACT staff to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health-promotion
• Promotes Whole Health approach to care supporting positive health and well- being activities
• Monitors behaviors and progress toward goals with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care
• Provides individual/group interventions to support strategies to address physical health and well-being concerns and coping with feelings of grief and loss associated with disability and other life transitions
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Preferred Experience: PC-MHI Competency Certification or Integrated Health experience preferred
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92705-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized