Social Worker- Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

About the role

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. Program Approval, 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 complete review of the EDRP application.

Responsibilities

• Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses as a result of a complete assessment, utilizing appropriate assessment tools, within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Provides individual, group and family psychotherapy interventions used in the treatment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, serious mental health disorders, and comorbid mental health needs.
• Implements use of Measurement Based Care for measuring effectiveness of clinical practice and services in specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
• Demonstrates the ability to design changes based on empirical findings as well as to provide a flexible work schedule to accommodate emergency or urgent care matters.
• Serves veterans as outpatients who often have severe crises, lack family or community supports, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support.
• Evaluates the client's situation, including the veteran's reaction and ability to deal with it, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion.
• Affords at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving the veteran and family or significant others.
• Affords serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, and other high-risk diagnoses.
• Develops treatment plans in coordination with BHIP Team Members, including goals for treatment. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the veteran's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance, makes initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals.
• Provides quality therapy by utilizing Evidence Based Psychotherapies (EBP) in the treatment of veterans served.
• Concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran.
• Is responsible for clinical practice in the areas and programs to which assigned, including services that are a key component of treatment.
• Acts as a community and family liaison by initiating and maintaining necessary contact with the patient, his/her family, VA Healthcare System service programs and personnel, mental health agencies, and other related resource agencies.
• Provides support and consultation to these varying individuals, programs, and agencies as necessary or in the best interest of the patient, following VA rules and regulations regarding confidentiality and the interchange of information.

Requirements

This position is open to all U.S. citizens and former OAA students/interns/fellows.

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: 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.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
• (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.
• (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
• (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology.