The Senior Social Worker practices in the Veterans Mental Evaluation Team (VMET) Program and serves a patient population with highly complex health and mental health problems. The incumbent serves as an outreach specialist and case manager for the VMET program. The primary responsibilities of this position include outreach to homeless Veterans, triage, crisis intervention and assessment, linkage to resources and coordination of care, case management, community networking and advocacy. 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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). 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. 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. 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. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005 Social Worker, GS-0185 Series, Part II, Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standards. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary, usually accomplished while the employee is seated at a desk or other activities that are typically performed within the confines of the office. At times, the work will require physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, driving, and similar activities. Employees engage in such exertions when responding to Veterans in crisis or other kinds of training activities and climbing stairs in office buildings. Items carried typically are light objects such as briefcases, notebooks, and data processing reports. Lifting of moderately heavy objects is not normally required. No special physical effort or ability is required to perform the work. Occasion travel may be required. ["This is an open continuous announcement within the Columbus, Ohio VA Medical Center. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent functions as an outreach specialist and case manager for Veterans in the VMET program, performing evaluation duties to facilitate transition to mental health and community care. The incumbent collaborates with other members of the mental health clinics and other professional specialty clinics to provide comprehensive care to Veterans in the VMET program. The Senior Social Worker works with Enrollment Services to determine eligibility for VA programs. The incumbent carries responsibility for screening and assessing Veterans with multiple high-risk factors, and identifying treatment needs which may impact the Veteran's adjustment to their environment, and established treatment goals. The Senior Social Worker provides outreach at Community Based Outpatient Clinics, community agencies and local Police departments to serve Veteran's at risk for suicide and engage them into care at our facility. The Senior Social Worker evaluates the Veteran's situation, medical and psychiatric stability, abilities and capabilities. As part of a comprehensive assessment, the incumbent interviews the Veteran and their family members or significant others, when appropriate, to assess high risk factors and establish facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems and there causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health. The incumbent reviews all data subjective and objective and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths.If needed, the incumbent brings the Veteran into care to the Ambulatory Care Center or local community partner facility with VA police partner for further evaluation and immediate psychiatric or medical care. The Senior Social Worker develops immediate psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the Veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with other team members, based on the assessments, including goals for clinical treatment. The Senior Social Worker effectively provides case management services including ongoing assessment, education, coaching, counseling, referral and advocacy. The incumbent refers Veterans to appropriate VA and other government/community services including local shelters, food banks, employment services, and Veteran's benefits. The incumbent initiates and effects changes in methods and interventions to promote efficient practice and improve patient outcomes. The incumbent will coordinate care, including serving as an advocate on behalf of the Veterans, to ensure comprehensive service delivery, and linking and referring Veterans to the VA Ambulatory Care Center, and /or other community agencies. He/she will engage in coordination with community agencies, organizations, and groups to learn of services or resources available for homeless Veterans, as well as provide current information on VA services and benefits. The Senior Social Worker provides direct mental health and substance abuse services for Veterans and family members or significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment. The incumbent is responsible for documenting patient and family contacts in the Veteran's electronic medical record (Cerner) for those actions in which the senior social worker is directly involved. They also have working knowledge and skill in the use of word-processing, data management and other computer systems, especially those programs in use by VHA.The Senior Social Worker participates in program planning, development and evaluation. Evaluates own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means. The Senior Social Worker will provide orientation and on-going training to social workers and interdisciplinary team members. The incumbent will serve as a mentor to other social workers, particularly those at the entry level. They must possess the certification/s necessary to supervise unlicensed social workers as they may be required to provide clinical supervision for unlicensed social workers as a collateral duty. The incumbent will possess a valid driver's license enabling them to operate government vehicles and transport patients if necessary. The incumbent will be required to work weekends, evenings and holidays as determined by the service needs. The incumbent performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, occasional on call evenings and weekends. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91575-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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