Senior Social Worker (Education Debt Reduction Program Authorized)
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Application
Details
Posted: 03-Mar-23
Location: El Paso, Texas
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 710191200
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. 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/. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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). Preferred Experience:GS-12 Mezzo-Level Social Work Experience Experience working with interdisciplinary teams Experience working with evidence based treatment Certified Case Manager (CCM). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade level. Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience and 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. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate 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 Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. Must be able to participate in outreach activities that take place outside of the clinical facility, sometimes out of doors at various times of the day. Must be able to qualify to drive government vehicles. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39, September 10, 2019 The grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. ["Within the El Paso VA Healthcare clinic setting and in the field at local community hospitals; the Licensed Clinical Social Worker position for the High-Risk Program is designed to meet the needs of high-risk Veterans who require case management to prevent hospitalization and to coordinate care. The High Risk Program Senior Social Worker will perform clinical case management in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team to meet the biological, psychological, social and environment needs of Veterans. Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs. Independently conducts psychosocial assessments. Assists in the development of treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Possess the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions. Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs. Visits community in-patient facilities, establishing rapport with admitted, high risk patients that have been identified and authorized for admission by the El Paso VAHCS. Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services. Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families. Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan. Ability to evaluate incumbent's own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means. Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. General knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service-connected compensation, non-service connected pension. Facilitates referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility. Able to meet the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (Veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the consumer constructively and appropriately. Has working knowledge and skill in the use of word-processing, data management and other computer systems, especially those programs in use by VHA. Independently provides an array of social work interventions including: high-risk screening, psychosocial assessment, coordination of care, resource education and referral, case management, advocacy, monitoring/evaluating and counseling to include disease adjustment or other behavioral related health issues impacting the disease process and health. The High Risk Licensed Clinical Social Worker has knowledge in clinical case management, provides consultation and guidance to colleagues, demonstrates and role models effective social work practice skills, teaches or provides orientation to less experienced social workers, develops innovations in practice interventions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN17EDRP2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.