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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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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: Senior Social Worker, 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: 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. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 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. 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. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-0185, Veterans Health Administration, dated September 10, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12. Physical Requirements: Hearing (aid permitted) required. ["Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency Telework: Telework if approved would be on a regularly scheduled basis, but this is not a remote or virtual position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified applicants EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants. The incumbent of this position is assigned to the Mental Health program at Mather, CA, working in the Access Center and functions as part of a multidisciplinary team. The Access Center is the main entry way to mental health services at the Sacramento VA, and is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team that provides walk-in and phone triage, intake, outreach, orientation, post-hospitalization discharge follow-up, and high risk case management services to Veterans who are self- or provider referred to the Mental Health Service. Critical triage functions include crisis evaluation and intervention, disposition of patients to the appropriate level of care, and acting as liaison for the inpatient, outpatient, primary care and community agencies involved in the provision of care for the Veteran population. Duties for the position may include but are not limited to: Works with Veterans, their families and interdisciplinary team members in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment needs related to Veterans that present in crisis with psychiatric disorders, with particular regard to addressing situations related to risk of harm to self, others or grave disability. Conducts biopsychosocial assessments and uses DSM-5-TR to make clinical psychiatric diagnoses. Develops and implements advanced therapeutic interventions to bring about change in the patient, using a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches, including providing time limited evidence based therapies. Participates in development of a treatment plan for each patient with whom major contact is expected, with measurable goals outlined, based on relevant psychological, medical and psychiatric information and principles of treatment matching. on. Participate in the training of Social Workers, Social Work Associates, volunteers, and students; participates as required and requested in orientation, training and staff development programs involving Mental Health and VANCHCS. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the GMH Program Manager for VANCHCS, Chief of Services, Chief of Staff and Director (or duly appointed designees). Responsible for reviewing all consults/referrals for Veterans requesting mental health services. Determines the urgency of the request, arranging for evaluation appointment, ensuring that the consults are responded to in a timely manner. Assists with local data collection and review, running of local team meeting and mentorship of team. Attends regularly scheduled treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery. Completes assigned Performance Improvement activities at the program, service line and medical center level. Serve as the clinic consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes patients encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. Collaboration with community, health, welfare, and service agencies. Other duties as assigned."]

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