Senior Social Worker

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.

01Basic Requirements

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

02Education

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 4 accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

03Licensure

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/ English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

Senior Social Worker, GS-12, Grade Determinations: 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.

04Preferred Experience

Experience with Substance abuse disorders (SUD). Manage substance crisis and/or crisis management experience. Group therapy experience with substance abuse. Residential treatment. 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.

05Physical Requirements

The work is primarily non-strenuous, though a significant amount of walking or mobility is required for face-to-face contact with patients, family members, and medical staff. Ability to lift 5-10 pounds, mostly documents and/or binders is required. The ability to sit for 1-2 hours and do substantial computer work is required.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional As the Senior Social Worker assigned to the Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATP) Treatment Program, the Senior Social Worker provides assessment, diagnosis, comprehensive case management, and psychotherapy services to Veterans with substance use disorders (SUD) and other addictions who are engaged with SATP. The Senior Social Worker will also be tasked with triaging Veterans who come into the SATP Same Day Access as a walk-in to the SATP Same Day Access clinic.

This position functions as an integral part of the interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT), providing patient centered, evidence based treatment. Major Duties Include, but are not Limited to: Responsible for maintaining a variety of databases critical to the functioning on the program and for monitoring patient attendance and, in coordination with the medical director, reviewing and responding to positive urine drug screen results.

Works collaboratively with the treatment team, VA and community health care providers, and the Veteran to increase adherence to the treatment plan, treat underlying mental health conditions that reinforce or maintain use behavior, and identify and address any psychosocial barriers to recovery.

Advanced skills and experience working with medical and psychiatrically complex Veterans diagnosed with substance use disorder and a strong knowledge of medication assisted treatment and evidence-based therapies for substance use disorders (to include, but not limited to, Motivational Interviewing, Motivational Enhancement, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Contingency Management, and Relapse Prevention).

Provide early identification (screening and assessment) and intervention for the full spectrum of mental health problems, chronic diseases, and health interfering behaviors while eliminating common barriers to mental health care. Provide documentation sufficient to meet the needs of various interdisciplinary teams engaged in the treatment planning process both within the facility and for potential placement and/or aftercare programs/facilities.

Provide individualized care coordination and psychotherapeutic interventions highlighting Veterans' strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences within patient interaction, Interdisciplinary Team meetings, along with family and collateral contacts. Provide high quality, evidence-based, patient-centered services, including: Crisis evaluation and management; Individual and group psychoeducation; Evidence-based brief psychotherapeutic interventions; Mental health case management and treatment coordination.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. 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).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) 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: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.