The Senior Social Worker provides clinical psychosocial and Evidence Based Therapies to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs. Veterans treated in Social and Behavioral Health come primarily from the Anchorage catchment area. Their health care and psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require clinical oversight and creative problem solving.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S. Code). 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 Master 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). 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: (a) 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. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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: 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 physical demands of this position require light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; both hands required; both eyes required; hearing (aid may be permitted); and emotional and mental stability. Environmental Factors: Work may be performed outside and inside; prolonged sitting; and you must be able to work alone and closely with others.
A RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE MAY BE AUTHORIZED The Senior Social Worker is responsible for providing outpatient mental health treatment and psychosocial intervention to address a broad range of SUD and mental health issues. The incumbent serves Veterans who tend to have serious, frequent and severe crises, lack family or adequate community support networks, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatments, have significant deficits in coping skills, and require continuing psychosocial support. The Senior Social Worker provides a continuum of care encompassing individual, group, couple, and family counseling, demonstrating possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. FUNCTIONS OF POSITION: Interview Clients and Conduct Psychosocial Assessments. Interview Veterans and their family members to establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems, their causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Interpret and explain VA's treatment and benefit programs. Review all data and make a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Use advanced clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data and identify viable treatment options. Assess high risk factors, acuity, and need for services. Make Psychosocial Diagnoses. Evaluate the client's situation, including the Veteran's reaction and ability to cope with his/her life stressors and arrive at a reasoned conclusion. Based on the psychosocial assessment, use professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Assess at-risk factors and develop a preliminary disposition plan involving the Veteran and family or significant others. Perform insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness involving psychiatric, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, and other high-risk diagnoses. Make independent professional decisions and recommendations. Plan Effective Treatment. Develop psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Provide independent consultation and make recommendations to the interdisciplinary team on a course of treatment. Independently conclude the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the Veteran. This may include long-term institutional or nursing home care or separation from family members. These decisions are based on advanced practice skills, professional judgment, and expertise regarding the Veteran's self-care capability, family support system, and health care needs. Evaluate own practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means. Be active in and accept responsibility for the development and maintenance of professional standards of treatment. Adjust the psychosocial treatment plan and interventions based on changing needs and response to interventions. Implement Treatment. Provide individual and group therapy to patients and their families, on a regularly scheduled basis to engage in activities or discussion designed to improve patients' cognitive, social, emotional, vocational, and behavioral functioning. Give advice, guidance, emotional support, and other assistance. Provide individual and group counseling services, including psychotherapy. Assist and encourage Veterans and significant others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluating the situation realistically, considering alternative courses of action, and arrive at plans for using resources to resolve problems. Use highly developed professional, clinical, and advanced practice skills to treat Veterans with complex problems, histories of non-compliance with treatment, and inability or unwillingness to participate in treatment. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: M- F, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Recruitment Incentive: AUTHORIZED. Permanent Change of Station: Not Authorized. 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). 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. 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. Telework: Ad-hoc. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000.