The incumbent works as part of the VA medical center's Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program, and coordinates with VA residential community care programs, and domiciliary programs to ensure that coordination between these entities is facilitated and Veterans direct care, referral, and follow up is contiguous and based on a continuum of services. 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. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 for this position. 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, 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. Preferred Experience: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G39,Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185 Veterans Health Administration. Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites. The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required, e.g., walking, standing, climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, and carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle. ["Major Duties: Interviews Clients and Conducts Psychosocial Assessments Interviews Veterans and their families to establish a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Interprets and explains VA's treatment and benefit programs. Uses advanced clinical training, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Makes Psychosocial Diagnoses Evaluate a Veteran's situation and arrive at a reasoned conclusion independently. Uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Performs insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses. Plans Effective Treatment Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members. Assists Veterans with receiving and making use of VA and non-VA services and referrals. Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on the course of treatment. Concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the Veteran independently. Makes adjustments to the psychosocial treatment plan and interventions based on changing needs and response to interventions. Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs. Provides clinical services to Veterans and family members/significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment. Social Worker gives advice, guidance, emotional support and other assistance. Social Worker provides individual and group counseling services, in some settings including psychotherapy. Organizes community services on behalf of beneficiaries, developing and coordinating procedures for use of these services by related staff. Meets with Veterans to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals. Makes recommendations, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders, and shows competent discretion in decision to adjust treatment. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral. Conducts and participates in outreach activities. Maintains current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate, represents the VA at community service provider meetings. Provides direct mental health and substance abuse services for Veterans and family members. Maintains treatment plans based on clinical assessment for each Veteran which are reviewed quarterly with updates as needed. Makes routine visits to each Veteran in residence to assess their environment and provide on-going clinical services. Oversees the significant program responsibility of developing a systematic program that operates as a unique panel of services in the area of permanent supportive housing. Provides orientation and on-going training to Social Workers and interdisciplinary team members. Serves as a mentor to other Social Workers, particularly those at the entry level. The incumbent performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 860000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
