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. 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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education. VHA Social Worker must 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/. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Experience, Education, and Licensure. 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, the candidate 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. Note: KSAs must be clearly reflected in your resume under description of duties to be found qualified for this position/grade level. Advanced Licensure. 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. Preferred Experience: Preferred experience with working in MH field. Comfort in providing Mental Health Care through Telehealth modalities Participation as a member of multi-disciplinary treatment team providing a full range of Mental Health Service to patients. Demonstrates a high level of practice using evidence-based medicine principles involving patients who have complex illnesses. Skilled at multi-tasking, and working under the pressure of multiple responsibilities with deadlines. Excellent customer service skills (internal and external customers) References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. 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). ["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 If you ARE a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply using announcement: CBST-12478245-24-AB. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2024 or until all positions are filled. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be July 26, 2024, with subsequent every 2 weeks until all positions are filled. Duties include, but not limited to: Provide specialized evidence-based treatment to Veterans enrolled in Mental Health in a Community Based Outpatient Clinic with the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks. Function as a licensed independent provider of mental health services. Conduct full psychosocial diagnostic evaluations using the DSM-V-TR. Screens, assesses, creates treatment plans, clinical care provision, and discharge plans at an advanced practice level. Represents the social work profession and perspective on a multidisciplinary team that may include other social workers, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other disciplines. Provide and maintain expertise regarding VA and community psychosocial resources. Participate in program development within their assigned program including community outreach. Participate in tracking the care of Veterans as they move through the treatment process. The Social Worker will also be involved in measuring treatment outcomes through the use of testing and other measures. Utilize outcome evaluations to further treatment and design system changes based on empirical findings. Responsible for participating in clinical program development and is accountable to clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Work in conjunction with the Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator for any Veterans they are treating who are enrolled in Veterans Treatment Court, assuring timely documentation and thorough treatment planning. Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications Responsible for the independent planning and provision of treatment services for those veterans assigned to his/her case-management. Independently identifies high risk patients and provides safety planning, crisis intervention, coordinates staffing with other team members and/or family conferences when clinically indicated. Maintain a thorough knowledge of residential programs and other VA resources that specifically serve the Veteran population they are working with. Serve as a resource and point of contact throughout the facility for the mental health needs of Veterans. Serves in a liaison capacity, arranging referral of veteran for adjunctive diagnostic treatment, and ancillary services within the VHSO, VHA and community-based agencies and organizations as required. Participate in the development of a plan of care for each patient assigned, with measurable goals outlined, based on relevant psychological, medical and psychiatric treatment information. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Jennifer.Isbell-Gross@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564-00299-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
