Senior Social Worker - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

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.

Duties

VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Senior Social workers have experience that demonstrates advanced practice skills and judgment. At least two years should be in an area of specialized social work practice. The Senior Social Worker for whom this functional statement applies is assigned to the Behavioral Health (BH) Service Line at the Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital (Truman VA) and provides services to the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Programs (BHIP), a general mental health clinic located in the main hospital facility. Truman VA is a level 1C Medical Center, which provides both outpatient medical and mental health services at the main facility and at each of the nine Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). Duties may include: Performs comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments for Veterans and family members with complex physical and behavioral disorders to determine the nature of the presenting problem, biological, social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral factors related to the presenting problem, and the impact of the presenting problem on the Veteran's physical, social, emotional, recreational, and occupational functioning. Performs individual psychotherapy with an emphasis on evidence-based psychotherapy. Uses advanced clinical training to select, utilize, and interpret appropriate outcome measures. Integrates all subjective and objective data into a comprehensive assessment that informs treatment planning. Assesses high risk factors, acuity, and need for services with Veterans and family members who have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support. The incumbent completes comprehensive suicide risk assessments and safety planning for Veterans in crisis. Documents biopsychosocial assessments in compliance with the documentation and timeliness standards established by the Medical Center and The Joint Commission. Based on the psychosocial assessment and using advanced practice expertise, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veterans and their families, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses. Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders. The incumbent formulates a mutually agreed upon treatment plan, which includes measurable goals, objectives, and treatment methods based upon the psychological assessment. The treatment plan is used to direct a course of treatment, is individualized to include patient/family preferences, and reflects a multidisciplinary approach to care (as clinically indicated). The plan is updated annually or more frequently if there is a change in the patient's condition or needs. Coordinates assessment and screening of patients for specific mental health programs, including PTSD Clinical Team, Addictions Treatment Programming, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), and Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (PRRTP), and provides referrals to internal and external therapeutic resources, as clinically indicated. 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 [email protected], 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 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) 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: 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, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: (1) 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. (2) 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 f