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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. 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. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. Failure to Obtain License or Certification or Loss of Licensure or Certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision. 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 Grandfathering Provision may apply. Physical Requirements. See below. 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: 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 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. Preferred Experience. At least two years in an area of specialized social work practice such as serious mental health diagnoses of PTSD, TBI, mood disorders, geriatrics or complex unstable medical conditions. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following 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. Assignments. Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site; a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The senior social worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. Example of GS-11 Specialized Experience. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. References: September 10, 2019 VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 II-G39-5 The 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. Physical Requirements: Light lifting under 15 pounds, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Other (specify): Clear Speech; Hearing (aid permitted). ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The Senior Social Worker may be assigned to one or a combination of Primary Care - Patient Alignment Care Team (PACT) settings requiring similar qualifications. This might include assignment to any new program developed to meet the needs of the Veterans served. Assignment location is the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center (LAJVAMC) which includes CBOCs in Braxton County, Monongalia County, Tucker County, and Wood County. Travel for conferences, education and consultation is minimal. The PCMHI Social Worker provides brief assessment, intervention provides clinical treatment to support to the (PACT), with an emphasis on integration of mental health services within primary care. It is expected that the incumbent will successfully coordinate service delivery with Primary Care staff and other Mental Health Providers as appropriate. The incumbent applies advanced strategies to the assessment and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems encountered among patients in the primary care setting, with an emphasis on promoting good health practices, improving adherence to medical regimens, and addressing mental health difficulties that contribute to or result from medical illness. Incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Incumbent employs a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their families. Incumbent develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. The treatment plan will be reviewed during therapeutic sessions and reassessed as appropriate. Incumbent independently works with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems. Incumbent is seen as an expert and leader among peers in the psychosocial care of medically complex patients and frequently offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment and care coordination of complex patients. In addition, the incumbent will work as a care manager to provide telephone care management, monitor patients, provide education and support, and influence adherence to guidelines by providing \"on-time, on-target\" information to primary care providers, and collaboratively making appropriate care decisions. Clinical Responsibilities: - Independently provides a full range of assessment and evaluation services appropriate to the primary care setting, especially in the areas of emotional and behavioral problems - Provides a range of advanced interventions consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions found to be effective in primary care settings; - Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the primary care setting and the specific presenting mental or behavioral health issues; - Provides consultation services for primary care providers to maximize the effectiveness of their interventions in reducing health-risk behaviors and enhancing health-promoting behaviors, with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care; - Supports primary care provider (PCP) decision-making, building on PCP interventions and improving PCP-patient working relationships; - Provides clinical care management when appropriate directly to an assigned cohort of patients; - Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues to include - patient's decision-making capacity regarding health care; - Develops person-centered, culturally sensitive treatment plans to address mental health needs of patients; - Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. - Provides consultation and training to Primary Care staff in the identification and management of common mental and behavioral health disorders that present in a primary care setting; - Develops and/or makes available relevant education and training programs for all Primary Care providers to ensure that culturally competent care is provided; Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telework: Possibility for one day per week telework at the discretion of the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Corey Hickman, corey.hickman@va.gov the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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