Senior Social Worker- Primary Care Mental Health Integration
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Monroe, LA, United States
Summary
The Senior Social Worker will provide advanced practice clinical social work services to the population enrolled in the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and served by the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Team. Services include provision of high quality evaluation/assessment services, case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages and referrals to appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies as needed by the client.
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 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/.
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, are experts in their specialized area of practice, 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.
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 – 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, including 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 and to role model 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 providing brief therapeutic interventions, experience in working in a primary care setting, experience in health psychology/behavioral medicine.
Physical Requirements
Physical aspects associated with work required are typical for the occupation. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, 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.
Duties
The Senior Social Worker will demonstrate effectiveness in assessing for problems or concerns unique to patient population status as military veterans while independently or in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, family members and significant others, arriving at a reasoned diagnosis of patient problems and needs. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age‑associated illnesses and conditions.
Work within the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the veteran based on assessment.
Complete initial assessment at the time of the veteran's first visit for PC/MHI services.
Educate the veteran and/or caregiver about available services and assist in establishing appropriate referrals when PC/MHI based services are assessed as inappropriate or brief intervention approaches are inadequate after trial.
Differentially consider referral decisions collaboratively reflecting the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision‑maker.
Conduct functional assessments during 30‑minute appointments and triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate.
Apply principles of population‑based care (define role and identify problems rapidly).
Use brief assessments routinely (e.g., PHQ‑9, PCL, AUDIT‑C, etc.).
Document clear concise notes – generally half to one page long – with explicit impression, recommendations and plan for PCP use. Notes should be completed within 24 hours.
Consult and collaborate with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients, including curbside consultations and participation in PACT meetings and daily huddles.
Serve on medical center or healthcare system committees or task forces as endorsed by supervisors.
Participate in social work privileging, education, and peer review activities in accord with social work and medical center policies.
Act as a non‑voting member of the medical staff in accordance with medical staff by‑laws.
Supervise psychology practicum students, provide didactic training and consultation in areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise, supervise or train allied health providers as required.
Participate in program evaluation and/or research activities.
Work Schedule
8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday – subject to change based upon the needs of the facility.
Recruitment incentive (Sign‑on bonus) – Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance) – Not Authorized.
Pay – Competitive salary and regular salary increases. A higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA.
Paid Time Off – 37–50 days of annual paid time off 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 – Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement # – 1005-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS) – Not Authorized.
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The Senior Social Worker will provide advanced practice clinical social work services to the population enrolled in the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and served by the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Team. Services include provision of high quality evaluation/assessment services, case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages and referrals to appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies as needed by the client.
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 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/.
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, are experts in their specialized area of practice, 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.
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 – 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, including 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 and to role model 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 providing brief therapeutic interventions, experience in working in a primary care setting, experience in health psychology/behavioral medicine.
Physical Requirements
Physical aspects associated with work required are typical for the occupation. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, 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.
Duties
The Senior Social Worker will demonstrate effectiveness in assessing for problems or concerns unique to patient population status as military veterans while independently or in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, family members and significant others, arriving at a reasoned diagnosis of patient problems and needs. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age‑associated illnesses and conditions.
Work within the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the veteran based on assessment.
Complete initial assessment at the time of the veteran's first visit for PC/MHI services.
Educate the veteran and/or caregiver about available services and assist in establishing appropriate referrals when PC/MHI based services are assessed as inappropriate or brief intervention approaches are inadequate after trial.
Differentially consider referral decisions collaboratively reflecting the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision‑maker.
Conduct functional assessments during 30‑minute appointments and triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate.
Apply principles of population‑based care (define role and identify problems rapidly).
Use brief assessments routinely (e.g., PHQ‑9, PCL, AUDIT‑C, etc.).
Document clear concise notes – generally half to one page long – with explicit impression, recommendations and plan for PCP use. Notes should be completed within 24 hours.
Consult and collaborate with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients, including curbside consultations and participation in PACT meetings and daily huddles.
Serve on medical center or healthcare system committees or task forces as endorsed by supervisors.
Participate in social work privileging, education, and peer review activities in accord with social work and medical center policies.
Act as a non‑voting member of the medical staff in accordance with medical staff by‑laws.
Supervise psychology practicum students, provide didactic training and consultation in areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise, supervise or train allied health providers as required.
Participate in program evaluation and/or research activities.
Work Schedule
8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday – subject to change based upon the needs of the facility.
Recruitment incentive (Sign‑on bonus) – Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance) – Not Authorized.
Pay – Competitive salary and regular salary increases. A higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA.
Paid Time Off – 37–50 days of annual paid time off 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 – Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement # – 1005-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS) – Not Authorized.
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