Summary

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. Program 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.

Qualifications

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g
• 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)
• 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)
• Senior Social Worker GS-12 Experience: 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 and 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking - talking - driving - use of the telephone - etc
• Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their daily activities
• Light lifting and carrying - under 15 pounds
• Hearing aid permitted as needed.

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The Mental Health Senior Social Worker (MHSSW) provides mental health services to the veteran population enrolled at the San Francisco VA Medical Center System and specifically assigned to the Clearlake and Ukiah clinics
• Provide a variety of intervention modalities to include crisis-oriented - brief - short-term - and/or long-term psychotherapy to Veterans - their significant others - and groups for the purpose of preventing - assessing - treating - improving - and resolving psychosocial dysfunction
• Utilize standardized assessment tools such as Mental Health Suite in the evaluation of mental health issues
• Based on provisions by the state governing licensing body - the advanced practice level social worker may provide clinical supervision to entry-level social workers for qualification for their independent-level licensure
• Use evidence-based measurement tools to inform diagnoses
• Administer and interpret measurement-based tools to inform treatment decisions
• Provide consultation to colleagues
• render professional opinions based on experience and expertise
• Develop new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention and incorporate multiple factors with varying complexity in diagnosis and treatment
• Utilize outcome evaluations to further treat and design system changes based on empirical findings
• Provide case management services in a specialized area of practice to Veterans who tend to have serious physical and mental health needs and severe crises
• When able - initiate a 5150 for a mental health evaluation (72-hour hold) - with the required CA/local certification
• - Social Workers who have completed training with the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) at an intermediate level or higher may practice hypnosis with their patients
• Renewal per ASCH guidelines
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm or as determined by supervisor
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions or assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 662-07318F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized