Summary

This Senior Social Worker (SSW) position is in the Social Work Department of the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System. The physical location of this position will be in Biloxi - Mississippi - or Panama City - Florida.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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
• 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
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• 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: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: The Social Worker carries out all duties related to screening - assessment - treatment planning - case management and aftercare follow up for Veterans
• Work is in Social Work specifically with Veterans and their families - which requires skill in dealing with individuals in crisis and exposure to potentially dangerous situations
• The work is a mixture of in the office desk work and in the community social work
• The position will require a moderate level of keyboarding - standing (up to 2 hours) - walking (up to 2 hours) - bending - and moderate lifting (15-44 pounds) - reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - both hands required - both legs required - ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - near vision correctable at 13' to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4 - far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other - depth perception - hearing (aid permitted)
• Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks requiring normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices - meeting and training rooms - or other hospital and/or clinic areas
• The work area is adequately lighted - heated and ventilated
• The community locations will vary depending on where the Veteran is residing or receiving services
• Veterans may be transported by the Social Worker via government vehicle
• Occasional travel by air and car will be required that may present uncontrollable environments
• A current - unrestricted driver's license and driving ability are necessary.

Duties

• VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Function or scope of assigned duties: Independently performs case finding functions and outreach - identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs
• Must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - and provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals - families - and groups
• Independently conducts psychosocial assessments
• Identifies high-risk patients and provides appropriate intervention case management services
• Independently diagnoses Veterans according to the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or other recognized diagnostic manuals of mental disorders
• Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran and/or family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team
• Possesses the skills to offer psychosocial intervention and utilizes professional judgment in determining the method and techniques to be used
• Acts as a subject matter expert and liaison with community agencies
• Coordinates community-based services - including information and referral to or from other VA programs - government programs - and community agency programs
• Has knowledge and experience in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• Identifies high-risk patients and provides appropriate intervention case management services
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
• (subject to change based on the needs of the facility Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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 #: 520-00706-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized