Social Worker (Service Chief) - Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service Line Manager

Responsibilities

• Manages all professional and administrative activities within MH&BS including selection, orientation, and continuing education of staff
• Develops, implements, and evaluates policies, procedures, and clinical care standards to ensure high-quality, safe, and efficient care delivery
• Conducts ongoing surveillance and evaluation of clinical performance, including quality of care, appropriateness of treatment, adherence to standards, and performance improvement activities
• Leads quality control programs, risk management activities, infection control oversight, and compliance with facility-wide performance measures
• Improves patient access, flow, timeliness, and satisfaction through data-driven process improvement
• Oversees professional performance reviews, including FPPE/OPPE, peer review, and performance improvement data integration
• Coordinates interdepartmental and intradepartmental services to ensure integrated Veteran-centered mental health care delivery across settings (e.g., PC, ED, acute care, community care)
• Plans, develops, and leads new or expanded clinical programs, including Telehealth, evidence-based practice implementation, and enhancement of specialty/complexity of care offerings
• Analyzes financial, workflow, and operational impacts of proposed policies or initiatives and provides data-supported recommendations
• Supervises interdisciplinary staff, resolving personnel issues, conducting evaluations, managing performance, and overseeing continuing education

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (non‑citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited)
• Education: Master’s degree in social work from a CSWE‑accredited school; doctoral degree in social work may not substitute for the master’s
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s level; must maintain a full, valid, unrestricted license
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English required

Grade Determinations

• Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS‑13 grade level; chief social work service must show supervisory and management skills and advanced practice skills in administration
• Licensure/Certification: Must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Skill in providing the full range of supervisory duties across multiple service divisions/sections (assignment of work, performance evaluation, staff selection, awards, advancements, disciplinary actions)
  • Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice
  • Skill in developing, maintaining, and managing social work services in multiple divisions/sections
  • Ability to ensure compliance with social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care
  • Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements
  • Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements
• Assignment: Higher‑level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, and variety and be performed at least 25% of the time; chief social worker manages large, complex social work services, supervises multiple sections/programs, an assistant chief and supervisors, and oversees clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management, and service operations

Preferred Experience

• Experience providing leadership and oversight for all professional and administrative operations within a Mental Health or Behavioral Health service line, including supervision of multidisciplinary clinical and administrative staff
• Demonstrated success in managing human and material resources across a complex mental health continuum (outpatient, specialty, integrated care programs)
• Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, procedures, and clinical care standards to ensure high‑quality, safe, and efficient care delivery
• Experience conducting ongoing surveillance and evaluation of clinical performance, including quality of care, appropriateness of treatment, adherence to standards, and performance improvement activities
• Skill in leading quality control programs, risk management activities, infection control oversight, and compliance with facility‑wide performance measures
• Demonstrated ability to improve patient access, flow, timeliness, and satisfaction through data‑driven process improvement
• Experience in advanced clinic access management (monitoring supply and demand, clinic utilization, backlog reduction, no‑show reduction strategies, appointment optimization)
• Expertise in consult management processes (consult review, business rule implementation, coordination with internal/external services, development of Care Coordination Agreements)
• Prior experience recommending and evaluating criteria for clinical privileges and monitoring clinical competence of licensed independent practitioners
• Proven ability to