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. Learn more 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. 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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grandfathering Provision: 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). (1) All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker GS-0185-12: Experience: 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. 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. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39The 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. Preferred Experience: Physical Requirements: Employee is required to: walk and climb stairs, handle, finger, grasp and feel objects and equipment; reach with hands and arms; communicate; receive and exchange ideas, information by means of the spoken and written work; be mobile by oneself from place to place quickly and easily; repeat various motions with the wrists, hands and fingers; be able to have visual acuity for (including, but not limited to) administrative and clerical tasks. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent serves as a Senior Social Worker in the Mental Health Clinic (MHC) which provides outpatient mental health care to the veteran population. Services include provision of high quality clinical mental health assessment and treatment, case management, crisis intervention and advocacy services and the coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies as needed by the veteran. The incumbent will have skills and expertise in the current treatment of mental health disorders. This includes providing mental health assessments and comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for acute and chronic problems, including individual and group psychotherapy. The incumbent is required to exercise independent judgment and decision making in the formulation of the treatment plan with the treatment team. Additional responsibilities include an ongoing assessment of the patient's progress and treatment, as well as developing discharge plans from MHC when the patient's condition makes this feasible. Duties of the position include but are not limited to: Makes an independent assessment of the psychosocial, health care, and financial needs of each Veteran, diagnoses mental health disorders and co-morbid substance use ranging in severity and longevity. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team to address special needs of the veteran population. Identifies gaps in services/resources and connects Veterans to appropriate VA and community resources to help meet their needs. Implements evidence-based treatment modalities, providing psychotherapy for individuals, couples/families, and groups in the outpatient setting, and measures outcomes to interventions. Provides mental health services to Veterans that requires the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical skills. Works closely with VA and community health care professionals to provide and support mental health treatment plans for Veterans. Provides consultation to health care personnel on the psychosocial components of the veteran's situation. Documents all mental health treatment and social work activity in the Veteran's VA Health Care System electronic medical record. Investigates community resources and makes information available to medical center staff treating veterans with mental health concerns. Provides care and/or services appropriate to the age of the patients being served. Assesses data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to the age-specific needs and to provide care needed as described in the services' policies and procedures. Provides crisis intervention and is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. Participates in MHC program planning, as well as in the development and maintenance of public understanding and sound working relationships with veterans, community agencies, community health care personnel and personnel from other professional disciplines. Attends interdisciplinary team meetings, rounds, conferences for planning and coordination of services to veterans. May supervise/clinically supervisor newer social worker and other trainees/interns as applicable. Maintains accurate, timely, comprehensive documentation including progress notes, encounter reports, patient data relating services provided, prepares other reports, as required, within specified deadlines. Demonstrates a strong knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion. Embraces and actively promotes an inclusive and equitable treatment milieu that accepts and is able to work with Veterans from diverse backgrounds. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30A-4:00P (May be negotiable)\nTelework: To be determined based on clinic and patient care needs.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Miriam.Ubiles@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]