Career Center

This announcement will remain open until filled. The first cutoff of consideration is 6/8/2023. Additional Applications will be referred as needed. The Senior Social Worker serves as a member of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP). BHIP is a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals which provides comprehensive, accessible, Veteran-centered mental health care. 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. English Language Proficiency: must be proficient in written and spoken English 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/. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION REGARDING ALABAMA SW LICENSURE. Preferred Experience: Experience providing mental health care within the VA Experience coordinating care among providers/programs/facilities Experience assessing risk and identifying appropriate treatment options Willingness to be flexible with daily schedule Ability to multi-task Experience talking with Veterans about the importance of recovery-oriented episodes of care, measurement based care, and evidence-based psychotherapy. Grade Determinations: GS12 - Senior Social Worker 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. Advanced Practice Level: For all assignments above the full performance (journey) level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Advanced Practice Level is defined as the ability to provide independent and expert clinical psychosocial and case management services in a specialized area of practice to Veterans who tend to have serious and severe crises, may lack any familial and community support, may be poor self-monitors, may frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or may have major deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. The advanced practice or senior social worker has an increased depth and breadth of practice skills; has expertise in participating in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching; demonstrates leadership in developing and expanding professional intervention strategies; demonstrates leadership in defining and attending to professional practice issues; and has the ability to expand the conceptual knowledge of the profession. The advanced practice or senior social worker will make independent professional decisions and recommendations for agency action; the consequences to the Veteran of these decisions and actions may be quite serious. Work involves intensive social work services requiring the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of complex social work practice skills not typically required in routine social work interventions. The advanced practice or senior social worker has mastered a range of specialized interventions and provides consultation to colleagues, renders professional opinions based on experience and expertise, develops new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention, and incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment. The advanced practice or senior social worker utilizes outcome evaluations to further treatment and designs system changes based on empirical findings. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standards Dated September 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12.The grade at which a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting/carrying, under 15 pounds Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Both hands required Walking/standing, 1 hour Operation of a motor vehicle Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously Must have vision, both eyes required Depth perception Ability to distinguish basic colors Hearing, aid permitted Cognitive stability Mental/emotional stability ["The BHIP Treatment Coordinator will be a member of all BHIP teams within the clinic and is responsible for various aspects of assessing, diagnosis, treating, and coordinating the treatment of Veterans within BHIP and the Mental Health Service Line. This includes, but is not limited to, being the first point of contact for Veteran same-day access needs, including seeing walk-ins and speaking with Veterans by phone to assess for risk, urgency of needs, appropriate treatment setting, diagnosis, and facilitate engagement in care. The Senior Social Worker: completes intake evaluations and will work with the BHIP supervisors to conduct panel management of all BHIP team members in order that Veterans have access to timely, quality mental health care. works with the Local Recovery Coordinator and the Mental Health Complex Care Social Workers to engage Veterans at increased risk for suicide, including providing additional psychotherapy appointments as needed. may serve as the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) and will work closely with the BHIP Supervisors and the Mental Health Service Line leadership on identifying and addressing process issues within BHIP and/or the MHSL. may refer clients to other programs and professionals as appropriate. participates in and provides consultation to other team members. provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services which requires advanced and expert 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 psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with a range of DSM diagnoses, substance abuse/dependence, and poly-traumatic injuries. serves as the primary clinician to meet the same day access needs of Veterans requesting mental health care within the clinic. This includes conducting the same day evaluation in-person or by telephone, according to policy. Given that a significant portion of these Veterans are new to Mental Health treatment, this involves providing a diagnosis and provisional treatment plan. provides initial and follow-up comprehensive psychological intake evaluations, including diagnosis, to Veterans in BHIP. coordinates mental health treatment for Veterans within BHIP, being referred to specialty mental health care, and Veterans returning to BHIP from specialty mental health care. conducts risk evaluation and treatment, including oversight of interdisciplinary documentation of treatment plans, for Veterans within BHIP, including those who are in the REACHVet program and those with a High Risk for Suicide Patient Record Flag. actively monitors clinic availability and panel size of all BHIP team members in order to be able to coordinate the flow of patient care amongst BHIP teams and BHIP team members. This includes knowledge of availability of specialty mental health services, as well as working actively with program support staff to insure that team assignments in the Patient Care Management Module (PCMM) are accurate and up to date. may serve as the representative for Psychology Service on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups as assigned. provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective practice skills. In addition, there may be opportunities to teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area of practice. expands clinical knowledge in the profession, demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs. assists in drafting policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: BHIP Treatment Facilitator Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for a Highly Qualified Candidate Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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