Social Worker - Primary Care Mental Health Integration

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.

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 (KSAs)

• Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
• 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.
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals, requiring judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem-solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Clinical Responsibilities

• Provides functional assessment, triage, intervention, education, and consultative services regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns, on referral from primary care providers and allied PACT members.
• Uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competences in the following core domains:
• Conducts functional assessments, based on 30-minute appointments and will triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate.
• Applies principles of population-based care (defines roles and identifies problems rapidly).
• Uses brief assessments routinely (clinical reminders - PHQ9 - GAD7 - PCL5 - AUDITC - etc.).
• Conducts suicide assessment and safety planning for high-risk Veterans.
• Affords initial consultation appointment based on functional assessments and treatment focuses on functional outcomes.
• Maintains daily open access slots.
• Provides brief mental health and behavioral interventions (e.g., 1-6 session for broad range of concerns), using time-limited, evidence-based interventions that are simple and concrete, triaging appropriately and efficiently to specialty mental health services.
• Provides brief assessment and/or intervention to address (including but not limited to): depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, MST, trauma, sleep issues, chronic pain, substance abuse/dependence (including tobacco use), anger management, relationship distress, management of chronic medical conditions, attentional concerns, memory concerns, and other interventions will be provided as clinically appropriate based on Veteran need.
• Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran (may include Veteran's family) and with PACT.
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans (may include Veteran's family) experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems.

PCMHI Group Clinical Practice Management

• Conducts group therapy with up to 12 Veterans (of note - group size may be dependent on topic - group facilitator discretion, etc.) for 30-90 minutes sessions addressing relevant behavioral health topics.
• Group formatting (open versus closed) is determined by group facilitator(s).

Patient Care Management Overview

• Provide case management services, as needed and/or indicated.
• Demonstrate knowledge of local, state, and other VA programs and resources.
• Facilitate referrals based upon Veterans' needs and eligibility.
• Assess for and identify high-risk Veteran and implement appropriate safety protocols.
• Provide crisis intervention services and have working knowledge of referral process for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization and residential PTSD, SUD, and other specialty programs.
• Have working knowledge in diagnosis and treatment of a broad spectrum of mental health diagnoses, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries and medical terminology.
• Provide consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan.
• Develop specialized interventions tailored to unique needs of Veteran populations and provide innovations in delivery of mental health programs.
• Teach and mentor staff and trainees in specialized areas of practice.
• Opportunities for scaffolding supervision of social work predoctoral interns and practicum students in accord with training program policies and accrediting agency requirements.

Program Evaluation

• Participates in program evaluation and/or research activities.
• Expectation to review program analysis, provide appropriate assessments of outcomes, and make recommendations as needed.
• Aids in the development and implementation of follow-up systems to track completed tasks or other issues and concerns relating to the PCMHI (intake and assessment, treatment planning, service delivery, discharge planning, case management, resource allocation, outreach, etc.).

Work Schedule

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

EDRP Authorized

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact Information

Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Learn more.

Telework: Ad-Hoc Functional Statement #: 436-52700-O - 436-52701-O - 436-52702-O