This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Basic Requirements: 1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 2. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 3. Education: Candidates must 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. 4. 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/. Grandfathering Provision: 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, GS-12 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. The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39, Dated September 10, 2019. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, talking, driving, use of the telephone, etc. Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their daily activities. Light lifting and carrying - under 15 pounds. Hearing aid permitted as needed.
The Senior Social Worker in Ambulatory Care provides medical social work services to Veterans presenting at Santa Rosa South VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) 51% of the time. The other 49% of the time, this social worker will provide remote coverage for vacancies and extended leave for social workers from other CBOCs within the San Francisco VA Healthcare System. Services consist of advanced skill level assessments and interventions to address complex psychosocial issues including: coping in the community, assessment of suspected abuse, especially elder abuse and issues related to capacity; interventions such as counseling to patients and families around adjustment to disability, chronic illness, loss and end of life issues; crisis intervention; advance directive education; coordination of linkages to appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies; short-term, focused case management; and consultation to multidisciplinary team members on the psychosocial aspects of illness and individualized patient care. Services are timely, comprehensive and effectively coordinated with all other healthcare providers. Psychosocial assessment and intervention is integrated into a complex treatment plan. Continuity of care is key. The Senior Social Worker contributes significantly to longitudinal care. Advanced practice social work assessment and intervention skills assure patient safety, completion of referrals, and firm hand-offs to resource agency programs and providers in the setting of complex, high risk patient presentation and care. Volume and/or acuity require social work expertise in geriatrics including management of competency and functional decline, multiple medical and high-risk psychosocial issues. The ability to practice independently within this context is critical. The Senior Social Worker demonstrates an ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, provide consultation and guidance to colleagues, role model effective social work practice skills, teach or provide mentorship to less experienced social workers, develop innovations and practice interventions, and provide clinical supervision for social work licensure and certification. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm or as determined by supervisor. Telework: Not available at this time. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact v21ccoedrp@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more