This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, 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.
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, 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: (a) 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. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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 Preferred Experience: Psychotherapy Experience 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: The work of the position is primarily sedentary. It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs) occasionally. Reaching above shoulder; Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day); Sitting (4-7 hours per day); Walking (up to 6 hours per day); Standing (up to 8 hours per day); Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs; Some bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Correctable near sighted and far-sighted vision; Hearing (Aid permitted). Ability to complete a Basic Life Support (BLS) course is a position requirement.
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The CBOC Senior Social Worker will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members, and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths, limitations, internal/external supports, and service needs to optimize the Veteran's functional status. The incumbent will be able to incorporate complex multiple causation in the differential diagnosis and treatment. Incumbent understands the range of specialized treatment, interventions and skills needed for all adult Veterans including geriatric Veterans related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, and age-associated illnesses and conditions. The incumbent must have an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population. It is the responsibility of the incumbent, working within the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on this assessment. Counseling and Psychotherapy - The CBOC Senior Social Worker provides individual, group, and (if credentialed and privileged) family psychotherapy and psychoeducational services, as well as advanced case management. The incumbent will practice at an advanced, independent practice level and may receive training on various evidence-based treatments. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The CBOC Senior Social Worker is responsible for collaboratively developing the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family. The treatment plan will be completed by the Veteran's third visit for mental health services. The plan will be updated yearly or more frequently if there is a change in the Veteran's condition or needs. Referral to Service Providers - Throughout the course of treatment the CBOC Senior Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The incumbent will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs. The incumbent is responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. Resource Usage/Development - The CBOC Senior Social Worker is responsible for using the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. The incumbent will refer the Veteran to needed services. Collaboration with Primary Care - The CBOC Senior Social Worker assumes a collaborative role with the primary care staff at the CBOCs, providing timely social work and psychological consultations for treatment of Veterans of all eras, including on an emergent or walk-in basis. This may involve open access hours for warm handoff referrals from primary care for consultation, mental health screening, or crisis intervention. The incumbent consults with CBOC primary care staff to address the impact of psychosocial and psychological areas of functioning on broader health care issues. Crisis Intervention - The CBOC Senior Social Worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. The incumbent has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, staff will follow the protocol of the CBOC and Healthcare System. Education/Health Promotion and Prevention - The CBOC Senior Social Worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Wills, and Mental Health Preferences and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate department and/or personnel for identified health education needs. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 635-54575-A EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact david.billingsleyjr@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized