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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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). Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. 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: 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. 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. 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. 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. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. 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 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. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 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: Physical Demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary, although the stress involved in dealing continually with persons in emotional distress and who may be uncooperative makes this work notably more demanding than most sedentary jobs. ["**This announcement is open continuous - qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager(s) at least every 2 weeks.** Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm\nTelework: Available for a portion of the work week\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for well qualified applicants\nEDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required The Department of Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) is an integrated health care delivery system, offering a comprehensive array of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, mental health and extended care services to veterans in northern California. VA Northern California Health Care System is a high complex (1b) medical facility serving a large catchment area throughout northern California encompassing 40,000 square miles. Our system comprises an affiliated medical center in Sacramento (UC Davis Medical School); a rehabilitation and extended care facility in Martinez, and CBOCs across urban, suburban areas, as well as rural and highly rural areas. We serve over 90,000 Veterans throughout these sites. The Mental Health Product Line (MHPL) comprises over 260 interdisciplinary MH employees organized around six major clinical program lines. All programs support the integration of clinical service delivery and training. The services or components of the MH program at VA NCHCS are geographically dispersed with complex operations and large numbers of employees disseminated throughout the CBOCs. Incumbent is assigned to the VA NCHCS Mental Health PTSD program and functions as a part of an interdisciplinary team. Services are carried out in full accordance with specific program goals and broad objectives of the VA health care system. The incumbent will focus on addressing the complex mental health needs of Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Duties of the position include, but are not limited to: Independently provides specialized services for complex patients with PTSD and/or post-deployment problems, with service delivery to include intake evaluation, diagnostic assessments, psychotherapy and patient education. Maintains advanced knowledge of a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches and applies a full-range of therapeutic interventions including individual therapy, group therapy, and psycho-education classes to a wide range of patients with complex needs, including the provisions of these services via TMH. Best practices, practice guidelines and evidence-based treatment protocols are utilized to the extent feasible in all therapeutic interventions. Uses specialized knowledge to consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of complex patient care issues. Develops person-centered, culturally sensitive treatment plans to address the complex mental health needs of PTSD patients Conducts in-depth evaluations to aid in the differential diagnosis of complex cases. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Ensures timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system as appropriate. Responds to Veterans request for release of records, return phone calls, linking of services and appropriate referrals as needed in a timely fashion. Serve as a clinic consultant for information negotiating the complex processes Veterans encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. With permission from Veteran, consults with significant others/support systems to aid in the facilitation of treatment. Collaborates with community, health, welfare and service agencies. Completes assigned Performance Improvement activities at the program, service line and medical center level. Attends regularly scheduled treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery to a specialized patient population. Submits statistical information as required. Attends annual training programs sponsored by the VISN, VAMC and other recognized training programs to enhance knowledge, skills and abilities in area of specialization. Independently uses advanced knowledge of adult learning behavior, along with field work teaching objectives and teach clinical skills to graduate level students when indicated. May participate when indicated in PTSD specific MH outreach activities and events. Other duties as assigned by management."]