Career Center

The Senior Social Worker will report to Mental Health Product Line, Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program (SUDS) at the Texarkana Outpatient Clinic in Texarkana, AR. The Senior Social Worker independently provides clinical psychosocial and case management services at an advanced practice level to eligible veterans and their family members. 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/. 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). 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. Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 September 10, 2019 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and the Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require minimal travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who assist and support to the Caregiver Support program, its Veterans and caregivers. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. ["The Senior Social Worker services are provided in the hospital setting but are primarily delivered to patients in an outpatient status, though duties may also routinely involve service to inpatients. This includes high quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers / agencies as needed by the client and related to client mental healthcare. Duties include but not limited to: Interviews Clients and Conducts Psychosocial Assessments: As part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, interviews veterans and/or their family members/significant others to establish facts about the patient's situation, presenting problems and their causes, as well as the impact of such problems on the patient's functioning and mental health. Interprets and explains VA's treatment and benefit programs related to assistance with identified problems. Diagnoses: Following Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders criteria, independently evaluates the patient's clinical presentation, including patient current reaction and resources, and arrives at a reasoned diagnosis of patient problems and needs Based on this careful diagnostic evaluation, a thorough psychosocial assessment, evaluation of other assessment material, use of professional judgment and advanced practice skills, either independently or in collaboration with other practitioners, provides the diagnostic impression of veteran problems that will be used to guide and direct further treatment actions. Assesses at risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan for addressing them that involves identification of patient and staff responsibilities. Plans Effective Treatment: Collaborates with the patient to develop psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for substance use disorder treatment interventions. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the patient's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance, make initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals. Implements Treatment: Provides clinical services to patients and family members/significant others in support of the patient's treatment. Provides guidance, emotional support, individual and group psychotherapy services, including counseling and other assistance. Supervisory Controls: Responsibility for clinical and administrative supervision of the BHIP Social Worker lies with the BHIP Program Coordinator. Due to the critical nature of responsibilities, the incumbent must possess skills, abilities and licensure to practice at the independent level. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 667-00171-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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