Summary

The Senior Social Worker practices in the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) - which services a Veteran population with highly complex health and mental health problems. The Senior Social Worker is responsible for providing clinical - evidence-based services and interventions - as well as leading continuous quality improvement initiatives to enhance Veteran care.

Qualifications

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
• Verification of the degree can be made by going tohttp://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 tohttp://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)
• 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
• 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: Work is primarily performed in an office setting in the MH RRTP located at the Dayton VA Medical Center
• Work is mostly sedentary
• however - the incumbent must follow appropriate safety procedures as there will be some periods of walking and may involve light lifting - turning - or moving hands - arms - feet - and legs to operate hand and foot controls
• The position requires the use of office equipment such as computers - keyboards - telephones - fax machines - and photocopy machines
• Visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity are required
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• May be exposed to infected patients and/or contaminated materials and will be required to take appropriate safety and protective measures.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include - but are not limited - to: Clinical Functions: Provides comprehensive clinical and case management for MH RRTP - to include clinical assessment - psychotherapy (group and individual) - and screenings and admissions
• Collaborates with the multidisciplinary treatment team - and Veteran's family/support system to facilitate recovery
• Provides a full range of clinical service within the Social Work Scope of Practice and within a whole health - evidence-based framework to Veterans who are experiencing a range of mental health - substance use - medical and social problems
• Provides clinical consultation to other clinical staff and clinical supervision to unlicensed staff counselors and/or counseling trainees/students - as assigned
• Operates a motor vehicle and transports patients off-site as required
• Program Development: Actively participates in program planning and development - advising the supervisor of shifting Veteran care needs and identifying the need for policy or procedure changes
• Coordinates and monitors MH RRTP daily clinical operations - for the assigned MH RRTP track of care - which may include Substance Use Disorder (SUD) - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - and Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV)
• Participates in and serves on facility - VISN - and National committees - work groups - and task forces - as directed by the supervisor
• Assists the MH RRTP Program Manager and/or Medical Director with clinical metrics - such as the MH RRTP Annual Performance Improvement Plan - MH RRTP Veteran and Staff Standdown - and other outreach activities
• Prepares reports and statistics for facility - VISN - and national use and provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service
• Aids with the orientation and learning of less experienced social workers and - if interested and approved - serves as a clinical supervisor for social workers who are not independently licensed and/or social work students
• Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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 #: 92830-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized