Senior Social Worker

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

About the Role

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker is assigned to the VA Mental Health Service - as program needs demand - is responsible for coverage of any of the inpatient - residential - or outpatient programs of the Mental Health Services. Specifically assigned to the Mental Health Triage team (MH Triage) - this position will have primary responsibilities with that Program.

Responsibilities

• Conducts comprehensive biopsychosocial and substance treatment focused assessments
• Evaluates substance use severity - mental health symptoms - impairment - and co-occurring conditions
• Formulates individualized treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran and the interdisciplinary MH Triage team
• Implements measurement-based care at baseline and regular intervals to monitor symptom change and guide clinical decision making
• Documents results and uses them to adjust treatment plans
• Performs required risk screening and assessment (e.g. - suicide risk per VHA Risk ID procedures)
• Creates/updates safety plans and coordinates risk management with Suicide Prevention and other staff
• Provides individual social work services utilizing guideline recommended evidence based treatments
• Serves as a primary resource on community and VA programs - arranging referrals and collaborating with internal/external partners to address housing - employment - education - family support - and Whole Health resources - as available locally
• Contributes to program evaluation and quality improvement (e.g. - symptom outcomes - completion rates - readmissions)
• Aids in developing group schedules - clinical pathways - and performance measures consistent with national guidance
• Collaborates with psychiatry - psychology - nursing - recreation therapy - peer support - pharmacy - whole health - physicians and others on interdisciplinary treatment planning and reviews
• Provides consultation on veterans entering or continuing care
• Completes timely - accurate documentation for assessments - treatment plans - progress notes - risk assessments/safety plans - consults - and discharge summaries
• Follows VHA Patient Care Data Capture and Closeout requirements and facility policies
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary treatment planning and reviews
• Provides consultation on veterans entering or continuing care
• Completes timely - accurate documentation for assessments - treatment plans - progress notes - risk assessments/safety plans - consults - and discharge summaries
• Follows VHA Patient Care Data Capture and Closeout requirements and facility policies

Requirements

• Basic Requirements: Master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Licensure/Certification: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Experience/Education: At least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure with one year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Demonstrated knowledge - skills - and abilities in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations

Qualifications

• 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)
• Licensure/Certification: 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)
• Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.7403(f)

Skills

• Specialized Interventions: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• Psychosocial Treatment: Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Outcome Evaluations: Demonstrated ability to develop and implement 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
• Consultation: Demonstrated 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
• Knowledge Expansion: Demonstrated 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

Benefits

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 for physical requirements.

Pay

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 for pay details.

Schedule

Full-Time - 7:30am - 4:00pm

Additional Information

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
Contact V21ccoeedrp@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Learn more
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: Ad-Hoc - May be approved at supervisor discretion
Virtual: This is not a virtual position