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.

Qualifications

***This is an open continuous announcement until November 10th 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. ***

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship Be a citizen of the United States
• 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 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: 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 KSAs 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 For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• 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
• This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management
• This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation
• Preferred Experience: Substance use disorder treatment: stepped or transitional continuum of care: residential or intensive outpatient substance use treatment: Dual diagnosis: VA experience
• References: VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: The work of the psychologist is largely office based and in a sedentary setting
• No manual labor is required above ordinary situations
• Incumbent must be capable of participating in emergency drills and evacuations
• Incumbent must be capable of using a computer given that all clinical charting is electronic.

Duties

• 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 Provide professional - independent - specialized mental health treatment to veterans who are diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders and who are experiencing a wide range of complex medical - psychiatric - emotional - behavioral - and psychosocial problems
• Provides individual - group and family psychotherapy interventions used in the treatment of veterans with substance use disorders and comorbid mental health needs - including post-traumatic stress disorder - and serious mental health disorders
• Implement Measurement Based Care for measuring effectiveness of clinical practice and services in specialty areas - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services
• Use subjective and objective data in making clinical assessment of the veteran's needs
• Develop treatment plans in coordination with RRTP Team Members - including goals for treatment
• Establish effective working relationships with VA staff and community-based agencies
• Develop and maintain a current and productive network of referral resources
• Make referrals to other services in the VA - as well as to other agencies - community resources - and other Governmental agencies
• Act as a community and family liaison by initiating and maintaining necessary contact with the patient - his/her family - VA Healthcare System service programs and personnel - mental health agencies - and other related resource agencies
• Independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and family members - identifying the Veteran's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• Interview Veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the Veteran's situation - presenting problems and their causes - and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment
• Review all data - subjective and objective - and makes a clinical assessment identifying strengths - needs - abilities - and preferences
• Use clinical training - insight - and experience to interpret data and identify viable treatment options
• Assess high risk factors - acuity - and need for services
• Assess and document identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• Independently conclude the appropriate action - even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran
• Utilize increased depth and breadth of practice skills
• Use expertise in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching
• Demonstrate leadership in developing and expanding professional interventions strategies
• Demonstrate leadership in defining and attending to professional practice issues
• Help expand the conceptual knowledge of the profession
• Make independent professional decisions and recommendation for agency action
• Establish and maintain ongoing education programs for Veterans - community agencies - students - and staff to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population
• Advocate on behalf of the veteran to ensure that services and benefits are obtained in a timely manner and in keeping with the VA's goal for excellence in customer service
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am- 4:30pm Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Jillana Martinez@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 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: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #:592170 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized