Social Worker- Mental Health Clinic

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

• Conducts psychosocial/mental health assessments of Veterans independently and/or in collaboration with interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members, caregivers, and/or significant others.
• Develops patient centered treatment plans and develops achievable treatment goals with the Veteran and other significant others.
• Provides crisis intervention services, seeks to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences, and serves as liaison to family members.
• Provides individual, group, and family evidence-based psychotherapies and treatment (i.e. PST, MI, MET, CPT, PE, CBT, Seeking Safety, etc.) appropriate to level of licensure to Veterans and their families/caregivers. Evidence based therapeutic interventions are reviewed regularly during clinical supervision.
• Plans and organizes work, coordinates with clinical interdisciplinary team members, other professional and clinical staff, and management personnel.
• Plans, organizes, and implements all phases of continuing care for Veterans in the Mental Health Clinic.
• Provides patient education to Veterans and family members on the available services and assists them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or other decision maker.
• Develops and executes crisis management treatment plans in a timely, effective, and efficient manner.
• Develops and updates current social worker resources within VA and community social service programs to ensure that Veterans are receiving education, information, and referrals to current and viable resources to meet their needs.
• Provides patient education to Veterans and family members on the available services and assists them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision maker.

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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• 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-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

Qualifications

• BASIC REQUIREMENTS. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following:
• 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: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• 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-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• GS-9 Exception: VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level.
• For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker.
• Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of the Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 - September 10, 2019 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 occupation. 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. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.