The Incumbent is a senior social worker and serves in conjunction with the Suicide Prevention Coordinator and Suicide Prevention Team, providing individualized expert comprehensive case management, clinical services and crisis intervention to Veterans deemed at an increased risk for suicide. Although this position may be virtual, selectee needs to be in Eastern OK to attend outreach events. 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/. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. ["Weekly clinical contact (by phone or in-person) for high-risk Veterans discharged from inpatient status for the first thirty days post discharge. Minimum of monthly contact for Veterans deemed at high-risk for suicide following national guidelines, and those Veterans placed on the high-risk list. Prepares and updates in conjunction with primary mental health team of the suicide specific assessment, treatment plan, safety plan and follow-up notes including treatment plan updates. Provisions evidenced-based treatment to high-risk Veterans (i.e., group, individual, psychoeducational classes). Reviews/provisions comprehensive discharge planning and social service referrals to high-risk Veterans and families. Coordinates all elements of mental health and primary care including active communication with all providers involved in the provision of comprehensive care to high-risk Veterans assists Veterans in maintaining appointments at VA medical centers and other community agencies for medical, psychiatric, Rocky Mountain Network Human Resources Title 38/Hybrid Title 38 Functional Statement Exempt 1276 X01 T1 623-56286-O substance abuse, vocational and other services consistent with Veteran's goals associated with healthful independent living. Responds to National Suicide Prevention Hotline and internal facility calls regarding suicidal Veterans. Participates in administrative committees associated with flagging, tracking and monitoring of high-risk Veterans and serving as back-up to Suicide Prevention Coordinator and other Suicide Prevention clinicians as needed. Tracks all suicide attempts and patients with serious suicide ideation at each facility. Tracks and contacts any no-show appointments by identified Veterans with follow-up. Provides clinical case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, advanced clinical training, and experience to interpret data, and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high-risk factors, acuity, and needs for services. Obtains any relevant HIPAA clearances to allow transmittal of facility data on suicide attempts and individuals at risk and transmitting the data following cyber security requirements as applicable for this sensitive data. Ensures that identified high-risk Veterans have a 24-hour resource number to call and ways to get assistance if an immediate crisis should occur. Ensures that Veterans hospitalized for suicide attempt have suicide safety plan in place prior to discharge, and a follow-up appointment schedule. Develops and implements an ongoing education plan for providers, Veterans, families and members of the community of risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Available Virtual: May be available for the highly qualified applicant. Functional Statement #: 623-56286-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
