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 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. Qualifications 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 Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States(Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)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 accreditedA doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social workVerification 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 workLicensure: 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 levelCurrent 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)Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standardsPlease carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupationAll persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupationFor employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positionsEmployees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standardEmployees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupationIf an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C.7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupationNOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protectionIf they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social workerGrade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidatesSenior Social Worker - GS-12 Experience/Education: The candidate must have at least two years of experience 9 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 levelSenior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgmentSenior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practiceSenior 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 specialtyLicensure/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 licensureDemonstrated 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 populationsThis includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case managementAbility to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practiceKnowledge 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 changesAbility 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 skillsAbility to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery areaPreferred Experience: Experience providing outpatient mental health care Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification StandardThe full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12Physical Requirements: The work requires regular driving and travel throughout the medical center for the purpose of Veteran careThe incumbent must possess a valid drivers license in order to transport Veterans in a government vehicleProlonged periods of walking - standing - and Veteran home visits will be requiredSee VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Duties The role of the MHCM Team Leader is to develop - direct - and coordinate the intensive case management services that are provided by the MHCM team to veterans in the communityThe role requires incumbent to conduct - evaluate and coordinate the execution of the program (this may include coordination of the following activities: program/staff cost effectiveness - quality performance - outcomes and/or coordination of clinic effectiveness and clinic productivity.) The incumbent is expected to conduct program analysis - provide appropriate assessments of the outcomes and make recommendations as neededFunctions: Administrative: 50% Directs the operations of the program through daily meetings with MHCM program staff to evaluate ongoing needs and assign administrative and clinical tasks as appropriateLeads team staffing regarding patient selection and screening - determination of treatment plan and goals - progress evaluations - discharge planning and aftercareThe Team Leader provides leadership with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs - treatment plans - and case managementservices for assigned patientsHe/she works to promote appropriate treatment - rehabilitation - and discharge of patients consistent with program goals and with individual treatment plansPrepares and submits reports in a timely fashionHe/she is also responsible for completing documentation of appropriate data in patients' medical records and is responsible for entering clinical and research data in the computeralso completes MHCM forms for evaluation and monitoring of service delivery and outcomeHe/she supervises the training of social workers - social work associates - volunteers and studentsparticipates as required in orientation - training and staff development programsResearch activities: As needed - incumbent collect clinical data for use in the evaluation of the MHCM program - using protocols developed by the programClinical: 50% Provides comprehensive outpatient treatment with major emphasis on recovery- oriented principles in case management activities for psychiatric patients who are chronic users of inpatient resourcesThe MHCM Team Leader is required to provide clinical support and /or treatment to an adult or geriatric patient population on a regular basisOutreach and linkage with community agencies and groups will be maintained to enhance veteran's adjustments in community-based settingsUtilizes individual - family - and group therapies and educational programs to provide psychosocial treatment and evaluation with documentationTarget population encompasses a wide variety of individuals and families from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified backgroundsWork Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pmTelework: Ad Hoc - as determined by the agency policyVirtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: 92054-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentiveContact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistanceLearn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized