Career Center

This Senior Social Worker is assigned to the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) program and the Community Residential Care Program (CRC). CRC is a form of enriched housing which provides health care supervision to eligible Veterans who because of medical, psychiatric and or psychosocial limitations are unable to live independently. MHICM is a community-based, psychosocial rehabilitation program for Veterans with severe mental illness and significant functional impairments. 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. Must posses 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). To be eligible for the Senior Social Worker GS-12 level, you must also meet the grade specific requirements below. 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. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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: September 10, 2019 VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 Physical Requirements: A pre-placement examination will be concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and will include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. This position requires walking, kneeling, bending, standing, and light lifting. ["Major duties for the position include (but are not limited to): Participation in CRC national calls, completing monthly reports, coordinating yearly inspections by VA and state inspectors, screening Veterans for admission and ensuring that the registered nurse assigned to the CRC program completes appropriate visits and monitoring of medication; The the management, coordination and provision of social work services to Veterans and their families as well as residential care sponsors; Independently completes thorough annual psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team by collaborating with treatment team members in the mental health clinic, primary care clinic, and inpatient units when Veterans are readmitted to the medical center for stabilization of psychiatric or medical conditions. Assist residential care home managers in coordinating new admissions to the home by actively screening referred Veterans and assisting in their transition to the facility. Facilitate discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as residential care sponsors and interdisciplinary treatment team members when Veterans are identified as needing a higher level of care than what can be provided in the Community Residential Care Program or when Veterans request return to independent community living. Coordinate annual fire marshal and nutrition services at VA to ensure compliance with VA standards for each CRC home. Provides intensive case management to a primary caseload of 6-7 MHICM Veterans (this is half of the typical MHICM caseload). Screens Veterans consulted to the MHICM program for eligibility and appropriateness according to guidelines of MHICM, social work service and the medical center. Frequent, direct contacts with Veterans to provide ongoing assessment, psychotherapy and support. Frequency of contacts is increased in times of crisis Work assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs, treatment plans, and case management services for assigned members Provides training to Social Work interns, residents and staff from other disciplines. Typically, the incumbent will spend 2 days per week on CRC tasks, and 3 on MHICM tasks Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm\nCompressed/Flexible: Not Available\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 629-00169-F Senior Social Worker\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]