Social Worker (Clinical)

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirements Degree: Must fulfill all of the requirements for the master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

AND License: This position requires a current, active, valid, and unrestricted clinical license to practice Social Work independently offered by a U.S. State, District of Columbia, Commonwealth, territory, or jurisdiction.

AND Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: conducting biopsychosocial assessments of adult clients to identify psychological disorders or treatment needs; developing individualized clinical treatment plans to address mental health diagnoses or personal adjustment challenges; and delivering clinical counseling services to individuals or groups using evidence-based therapeutic modalities.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service GS-11.

Counsels adult patients using established psychological techniques to address personal or occupational adjustment problems; guides individuals in defining therapeutic goals and action plans.,Applies evidence-based, trauma-focused treatment protocols including Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.,Collects comprehensive biopsychosocial information from patients through clinical interviews, behavioral observations, or standardized assessment instruments to identify mental health concerns.,Analyzes patient case histories and clinical assessment data to formulate accurate psychiatric diagnoses or determine the necessity of specialized medical referrals.,Consults authoritative psychiatric diagnostic manuals and current scientific literature to verify clinical symptoms and establish accurate diagnostic classifications.,Conducts multi-dimensional suicide risk evaluations examining ideation, intent, plans, and historical risk factors to determine acute and chronic clinical safety thresholds.,Evaluates the clinical effectiveness of applied counseling methodologies by reviewing patient progress and treatment outcomes; modifies therapeutic plans to improve recovery results.,Coordinates patient care across multi-disciplinary medical teams, workplace environments, and community social service agencies to ensure seamless support across the continuum of care.,Executes immediate crisis stabilization procedures, including verbal de-escalation, grounding techniques, and environmental modifications, for patients presenting with homicidal ideation, psychosis, or acute behavioral distress.