Summary

The Senior Social Worker, GS-0185-12, is assigned to the Mental Health Service, Addiction Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) Program and functions as a part of an outpatient addiction interdisciplinary team. Services are carried out in full accordance with specific program goals and broad objectives of the VA health care system.

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
• 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
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part
• 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: GS-12 Senior Social Worker 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
• Reference: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-0185, Veterans Health Administration, dated September 10, 2019
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Hearing required (aids permitted).

Duties

• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m.
• Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency Telework: Authorized
• if approved, would be on a regularly scheduled basis but this is not a remote position
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Responsibilities of the Senior Social Worker are focused on providing direct services and improving support systems, as well as consultative and educational activities
• The incumbent will focus primarily on addressing substance use disorders and/or dual diagnosis of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnosis within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Incumbent employs a full range of treatment modalities with individuals, couples, families, and groups, with an emphasis on providing evidenced based care to address substance use disorders
• Services will be provided in the clinic as well as via telehealth
• Duties for the position may include but are not limited to: With particular emphasis on the treatment of substance use disorders, independently provides specialized services for complex patients with service delivery to include intake evaluation, diagnostic assessments, psychotherapy and patient education
• Best practices, practice guidelines and evidence-based treatment protocols are utilized to the extent feasible in all therapeutic interventions
• Participates in development of a person-centered, culturally sensitive treatment plan for each patient with whom major contact is expected, with measurable goals outlined
• Assesses crisis situations, formulates crisis plans, provides crisis interventions and follow up intervention services, developing individualized treatment plans, with particular regard for addressing situations related to harm to self, others or grave disability
• Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• May supervise and participate in the training of Social Workers, Social Work Associates, volunteers, and students
• participates as required and requested in orientation, training and staff development programs involving Mental Health and VANCHCS
• Serve as the clinical consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes patients encounter when interacting with government and community agencies
• Ensures timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system as appropriate
• Responds to requests for release of records, return phone calls, linking of services and appropriate referrals as needed in a timely fashion
• Attends regularly scheduled treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery to a specialized patient population
• Collaborates with community, health, welfare and service agencies
• Uses diagnostic knowledge of the patient's need(s) to make referrals to a variety of VA and non-VA resources in support of the treatment objective of the patient
• Submits statistical information as required
• Completes assigned Performance Improvement activities at the program, service line and medical center level
• Performs other duties as assigned.