Staff Social Worker-Behavioral Health

Full Job Description

The Social Worker (SW) in the Mental Health Clinic (MHC) works closely with their assigned Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team to ensure the provision of a full range of social work services are available to Veterans enrolled in the MHC.

The MHC/BHIP Social Worker provides diagnostic, assessment and treatment for the full range of mental health and substance use disorders.

This SW professional provides psychotherapy services to include individual, family and group treatment.

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.

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.

Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Exception.

VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations.

This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified.

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.

Social Worker, GS-9: Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.

Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.

Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals.

This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.

Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures.

This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Social Worker, GS-11: Experience and Licensure.

Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

OR Education.

In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.

Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds.

Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e.

acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan.

Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals.

Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.

Preferred Experience: Experience in women's health and a passion for women's health care.

Background in individual and group evidence-based therapies (i.e., Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Motivational Interviewing/Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Behavioral Activation, Mindfulness and Acceptance-based interventions, Problem Solving Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression, Written Exposure Therapy, Prolonged Exposure).

Experience providing Evidence Based Psychotherapies (EBP) used in the treatment of conditions for female-identified Veterans, including Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and is familiar with clinical research literature.

Experience providing suicide/homicide risk assessments, safety plans, and initial treatment for Veterans in crisis Experience providing tele-mental health services.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS09 to GS11.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position.

May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing.

May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Mental Health Clinic (MHC) Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Social Worker provides recovery-oriented care for mental health disorders across a full spectrum of diagnoses and conditions working collaboratively with an interdisciplinary (BHIP) team.

The MHC/BHIP Social Worker makes referrals to other Mental Health Service programs and completes internal/external consults for specialty services.

The MHC/BHIP also provides case management and care coordination services to Veterans on their assigned BHIP teams.

Duties may include but are not limited to: Performs case finding functions, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs.

Provides diagnostic, assessment and treatment services for the full range of mental health and substance use disorders.

Provides counseling and psychotherapy services for individuals, families, and groups utilizing evidence-based psychotherapies and psychosocial interventions as appropriate.

Conducts psychosocial assessments Utilizes measurement-based care practices based on programmatic objectives and Veterans' treatment goals and can include symptoms measures, clinical outcomes (e.g., functioning, quality of life and other measures of Veterans' recovery and Whole Health), or process measures (e.g., therapeutic alliance and Veteran satisfaction).-Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran, family and BHIP team.

Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government and community agency programs.

Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families.

Provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to the treatment plan.

Evaluates their practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means.

This social worker is able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

Performs comprehensive suicide risk assessments and develops and integrates safety planning and safety goals into the Veteran's collaborative, individualized treatment plan.

In conjunction with the healthcare team, identifies and assesses risk, safety, supports and implements appropriate interventions/treatment for those who are experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation or are experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence.

Adheres to VA and mandated reporter requirements.

Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on abuse, neglect, exploitation and intimate partner violence issues.

Provides Advanced Directive information and education including but not limited to the following: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Living Will, Health Care Directive, and/or treatment preferences document to Veteran and families.

Work Schedule: Full-time. Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:00, subject to change based on the needs of the service. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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 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 authorized.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-01341F/598-01342F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.