Career Center

The Columbia VA Health Care System (VAHCS) opened in 1932 at its current location. The facility has 204 skilled nursing beds, which includes acute medical, surgical, psychiatric, and long-term care. The hospital provides primary, secondary, and some tertiary care. The facility is a complex teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology, education, and research. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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: GS-12 Experience/Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Licensure/Certification. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. (d) Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. (e) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years experience working in mental health, with at least one year working with clients navigating a severe and persistent mental health diagnosis. Candidates must demonstrate an ability to provide intensive complex case management services assisting individuals who experience difficulty independently navigation resources. Candidate must possess an unrestricted drivers license valid in the Unites States of America. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting under 15 pounds, Light carrying, under 15 pounds, use of fingers, both hands required, walking 2 hours, standing 2 hours, both legs required, operation for motor vehicle, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13' to 16' to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted), mental and emotional stability, work outside and inside, excessive heat, excessive cold, excessive humidity, dry atmospheric conditions, constant noise, dust, work closely with others, work alone. ["- Serves in the community to provide intensive case management to Veterans in the Columbia, SC and surrounding areas with severe and persistent mental illness (SMI) that is chronic in nature, refractory to resolution and requires monitoring to maintain stability. - Tailor services to meet the needs of Veterans served and deliver them on a one-on-one basis or in a group setting. - Provide complex clinical services to clients with serious psychological problems on a regular and continuing basis, including suicide prevention services, crisis intervention, short and long term treatment, emergency food and shelter location, legal referral, employment, structured placement, financial matters, socialization and challenges encountered in daily living. - Ensure continuity of care by acting as a liaison between VAMC providers, including Social Work Service and community resource partners. - Employs a variety of case management, psychological, rehabilitation, social work, counseling/psychotherapy and mental health interventions including, but not limited to; individual, group, vocational, educational, substance abuse and readjustment counseling. - Required to exercise independent judgement and decision making in the formulation of the treatment plan with input from the treatment team. - Assigned to on on-call rotating schedule to provide knowledge, expertise and assistance to the Emergency Department (ED) Social Workers working with current and/or potential MHICM clients presenting to the ED after hours. - Provides outreach services to clients and engages in community networking which may include coordination with lawyers, residential care home operators, physicians, clergymen and representatives of other disciplines who are concerned with the client or same group of clients. - Performs administrative functions such as serving as an active member of the team preparing for accreditation bodies such as CARF/JCAHO and clinic meetings. - Maintain accurate records of his/her clinical interactions; and collaborates with others in VA facilities and community agencies to help Veterans recognize and resolve their problems and needs. - May provide training experiences for graduate social work trainees, may participate in research and pilot studies, and will maintain active participation level in the Social Work Service. - Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm (subject to change based on agency needs.) Telework: Yes; upon agency/supervisor discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD014920 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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