Senior Social Worker

This is an Open-Continuous Announcement (OCA). Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Resumes will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration until all vacancies are filled. You will receive an email notification when your resume has been referred to the hiring manger. Applications will remain on file until November 1, 2024. 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 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 Driver's License: Must posses a valid unrestricted Driver's License 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 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: 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. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site; a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The senior social worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39, Qualification Standards for Social Workers. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. ["The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is seeking an independent licensed Senior Social Worker to function as a case manager for the Medical Center's HUD-VASH Program. The HUD-VASH program is a collaborative effort, supported through HUD Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance vouchers and VA's provision of intensive case management service The primary goal of HUD-VASH is to move Veterans and their families out of chronic homelessness. The primary component of the program is VA case management services, designed to improve Veteran's health and mental health, enhancing their ability to remain stable. housed and community integrated. Incumbent completes program specific forms including Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES) forms, to ensure maintenance of data regarding serving this population. The incumbent is responsible for serving as one of the primary contacts with Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana providing case management based services (directly or through referral) necessary to ensure that Veteran care is coordinated with the VA medical center, community health or mental health providers, and agencies that serve homeless populations. The incumbent communicates with HUD-VASH programs in other states to facilitate the portability of vouchers Duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Assignments typically require modifications of standard practices, adaptations or extensions of precedent decisions and development of new approaches, methods, or techniques for specific application. The work affects the management and operation of effective and efficient projects and activities, including the continuation of approved ongoing research programs, the initiation of new research programs, and/or the termination or disapproved research programs. Responsible for data collection, administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient or clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements. Establishes, implements, and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD-VASH Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of Medical Center's mental health services and residential programs. Referral, screening, and admission criteria recognizes program eligibility, prioritization of subsets of the homeless Veteran population. requirements of the PHAs, and other policy, regulation, or law pertaining to program scope of service. Utilizes a multidisciplinary team approach when participating in screenings and is responsible to ensure criteria and procedures arc maintained. The incumbent provides primary input for program participant selection based on structured interviews and clinical assessments. Conducts and participates in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and 'on the streets, " as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers, or outpatient clinics. Maintains current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate, represents VA at community service provider meetings Evaluates the Veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and prioritization for admission. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary plan, involving the Veteran and family or significant others, and performs an insightful assessment or serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness which may also include, catastrophic medical condition, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and other high risks diagnoses. Reviews all data, subjective and objective and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Based on the psychosocial assessment, the incumbent uses professional judgment and practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis as part of an interdisciplinary team under the guidance of the Director, Community Outreach Division Provides referrals to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Yes, as determined by the agency policy. At Supervisors discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Title/Functional Statement #:Social Worker Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"] Create a Job Alert for Similar Jobs About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
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. VA health care teams are deeply experienced and guided by the needs of Veterans, their families, and caregivers. Our medical center provides primary care and specialty health services, including cardiology, mental health care, treatment for spinal cord injuries and disorders, suicide prevention, women's health services, and more.
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