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

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. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Proficiency Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: 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
• 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 SW Licensure Summary by State https://www.aswb.org/licenses/how-to-get-a-license/licensing-requirements-by-state-or-province/
• 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 (Above the Full Performance Level) GS 12 Education and Experience
• 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
• GS 12 Licensure: 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
• GS 12 Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate 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/
• This vacancy is a GS-12 position - which is above the Full Performance Level
• Physical Requirements: The work is moderately active
• Typically - the employee is driving a vehicle - walking around various facilities/settings - visiting with patients or community partners standing up - and at times sits comfortably while working
• There will also be some light exertion required when walking
• standing - bending or climbing stairs - carrying of light items such as papers - books - laptop - small objects - or driving an automobile
• Must be able to sit/stand for long periods of time and lif 20 lbs
• Ability to complete a Basic Life Support (BLS) course is a position requirement.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties and Responsibilities: Weekly clinical contact (by phone or in-person) for high-risk Veterans discharged from inpatient status for the first thirty days post discharge
• Minimum of monthly contact for Veterans deemed at high-risk for suicide following national guidelines - and those Veterans placed on the high-risk list
• Preparation and updates in conjunction with primary mental health team of the suicide specific assessment - treatment plan - safety plan and follow-up notes including treatment plan updates
• Provision of evidenced-based treatment to high-risk Veterans (i.e. - group - individual - psychoeducational classes) Review/provision of comprehensive discharge planning and social service referrals to high-risk Veterans and families
• Coordination of all elements of mental health and primary care including active communication with all providers involved in the provision of comprehensive care to high-risk Veterans assists Veterans in maintaining appointments at VA medical centers and other community agencies for medical - psychiatric - substance abuse - vocational and other services consistent with Veteran's goals associated with healthful independent living
• Response to National Suicide Prevention Hotline and internal facility calls regarding suicidal Veterans
• Participation in administrative committees associated with flagging - tracking and monitoring of high-risk Veterans and serving as back-up to Suicide Prevention Coordinator and other Suicide Prevention clinicians as needed: Tracking all suicide attempts and patients with serious suicide ideation at each facility
• Tracking and contacting any no-show appointments by identified Veterans with follow-up
• Provides clinical case management services while utilizing professional skill - objectivity - insight - advanced clinical training - and experience to interpret data - and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high risk factors - acuity - and needs for services
• Obtains any relevant HIPAA clearances to allow transmittal of facility data on suicide attempts and individuals at risk and transmitting the data following cyber security requirements as applicable for this sensitive data
• Ensuring that identified high-risk Veterans have a 24-hour resource number to call and ways to get assistance if an immediate crisis should occur
• Ensuring that Veterans hospitalized for suicide attempt have suicide safety plan in place prior to discharge - and a follow-up appointment schedule
• Developing and implementing an ongoing education plan for providers - Veterans - families - and members of the community of risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 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: Situational (Ad-hoc) Functional Statement #: 54643-A