Senior Social Worker

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review.

Responsibilities

• Provides specialized evidence-based treatment to Veterans enrolled in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) service.
• Functions as a licensed independent provider of mental health/SUD services.
• Conducts full psychosocial diagnostic evaluations using the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Psychiatric Disorders.
• Provides screening, assessments, treatment plans, clinical care provisions, leads treatment plan reviews for improving outcomes, and discharge planning at an advanced practice level.
• Represents the social work profession and perspective on a multidisciplinary team that may include other social workers, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other disciplines.
• Provides and maintains expertise regarding VA and community psychosocial resources.
• Participates in program development within their assigned program including community outreach.
• Tracks the care of Veterans as they move through the treatment process.
• Measures treatment outcomes using testing and other measures; utilizes outcome evaluations to further treatment and design system changes based on empirical findings.
• Participates in clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns, including partnering with local universities, community colleges, and other agencies.
• Collaborates with the Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator, Peer Support Specialist, or other VA employees for justice-involved Veterans, ensuring timely comprehensive assessment, treatment recommendations, reporting, documentation, and thorough treatment planning.
• Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in their special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Identifies high-risk patients and provides safety planning, crisis intervention, coordinates staffing with other team members and/or family conferences when clinically indicated.
• Identifies Veterans in need of additional specialized care and works with admissions personnel to secure needed treatment within or outside the VA or community.
• Serves as a resource and point of contact throughout the facility for the mental health needs of Veterans.

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 as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education: Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not substitute for the master’s degree.
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level. May qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision (applicable to current VHA employees).

Qualifications

• At least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure, with one year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Experience demonstrating possession of advanced practice skills and judgment in a specialized area of social work practice.
• Licensure or certification by a state at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination (unless grandfathered). Must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities (individual, group, family counseling, psychotherapy, advanced psychosocial/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, utilizing outcome evaluations.
  • Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students, and role model effective social work practice skills.
  • Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines.

Preferred Experience

• Experience and interest in treating Substance Use Disorder (SUD), SUD with challenging co-morbid conditions, and enjoyment of outpatient, residential care, and case management.

Physical Requirements

• Typical physical aspects associated with social work, including standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• May require wearing personal protective equipment and undergoing annual TB screening or testing.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks, requiring normal safety precautions. The area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The role requires the ability to handle multiple tasks in sometimes stressful situations.

Pay

• Competitive salary with regular increases.
• Higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Benefits

• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays). Credit toward annual leave accrual may be granted based on prior work or military service experience.
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.
• Child Care Subsidy: 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, with a monthly maximum of $416.66 after 60 days of employment.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% contributions by VA.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care (many programs can be carried into retirement).

Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Additional Information

• Telework: Available (ad-hoc only).
• This is not a virtual position.
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.