Senior Social Worker

Full Job Description

The New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System (NMVAHCS) is currently seeking a licensed social worker to join the Emergency Department to provide direct care to Veterans and coordinate follow-up.

The role requires rotating shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, often as the sole provider, demanding independence and clinical expertise.

Responsibilities include psychosocial assessments and discharge planning for inpatient Veterans.

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: Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work.

Licensure: Candidate 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.

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, applicants 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.

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.

Preferred Experience: Experience in medical social work, discharge planning, and a background in emergency department social work.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Responsible for providing emergency services to Veterans referred to the ED, acting as the primary contact for specialty services.

Conducts screening, discharge planning, and crisis intervention during off-hours and weekends, often as the sole Social Worker on duty.

Executes psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, short-term counseling, resource education, case management, and post-intervention follow-up for Veterans in crisis, primarily in the ED.

Provides consultation and education to staff and community providers, maintains data, participates in program evaluation, supervises students, and contributes to program development.

Works independently with advanced clinical skills, managing a high volume of patients, integrating complex psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within scope of practice.

Conducts psychosocial assessments and provides individual, family, and group therapy as part of interdisciplinary treatment. Conducts staff training, community education, and resource coordination.

Completes initial assessments to facilitate timely services and follow-up care, including housing, substance detox, primary care linkage, and supportive counseling.

Reviews social work consults, manages care coordination, and assists with system redesign.

Performs psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, discharge coordination, counseling, and resource education.

Acts as a liaison to community resources, addresses advance directives and organ donation issues, and supervises less experienced staff as needed.

Maintains documentation in CPRS, complies with JCAHO and VA policies, and contributes to quality assurance. Participates in committees and other duties as assigned to enhance veteran care.

Work Schedule: Sunday through Wednesday or Wednesday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized