This position is under the Behavioral Health care line within the Intensive Treatment Division. The Senior Social Worker is directly responsible for the provision of clinical services to Veterans assigned to the IDDT program and other duties as assigned. The Senior Social Worker is responsible for all aspects of the clinical care, within their scope of practice, for the Veterans on their caseload, as well as shared responsibility for all Veterans assigned to the IDDT program. 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, part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-185 Veterans Health Administration. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work is regularly active and occasionally sedentary. There is required walking, standing, driving, and sitting or occasional bending and lifting. Frequent standing and walking are required physical demands required for this position. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties include, but are not limited to: The Senior Social Worker is an active member of a multidisciplinary team of professionals providing services to Veterans with of both mental health and substance use disorders. The Senior Social Worker assists Veterans in achieving their self-determined recovery goals by promoting independence, community inclusion, and hope as well as addressing both the issues with chemical dependency and severe mental illness. The Senior Social Worker performs a wide range of tasks to assist Veterans in regaining independence within the community, developing meaningful life roles and gaining mastery over their own recovery process. The Senior Social Worker provides direct service to Veterans/families on an outpatient basis, applying knowledge of integrated treatment, therapy, case management, group work, and family treatment methods in order to help Veterans maintain community living and obviate the need for hospitalization. The Senior Social Worker provides services to Veterans/families as needed in order to establish initial linkages between people and resource systems. This requires active engagement in the community and comfort with intensive community outreach. The Senior Social Worker provides a full range of intensive community mental health recovery services to Veterans in the IDDT program. The Senior Social Worker functions as a primary clinician and member of the IDDT interdisciplinary team and provides clinical coverage for other members on the team as routine care in a shared caseload environment. This includes consistent attendance at all program meetings for coordination of care. The incumbent coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from VA, other government agencies, and community programs. The Senior Social Worker documents case activity in accordance with Joint Commission, CARF, VHA, and facility policies. The Senior Social Worker maintains cooperative and collaborative interdisciplinary working relationships in order to assist with the development and execution of the treatment plan. The Senior Social Worker identifies and utilizes community resources to meet Veteran and family needs in order to determine appropriateness of referral and the Veteran's capacity to benefit from community assistance. The incumbent prepares reports, encounter forms and other statistical data in order to disseminate pertinent information using VA, Joint Commission standards, CARF regulations, and Social Work Service policies and procedures. The Senior Social Worker identifies professional training needs and participates in continuing education in order to enhance skills and knowledge base. The incumbent informs supervisor of potential legal; congressional, or threatening incidents in order to keep management alerted to situations that may involve management's intervention. The Senior Social Worker conforms to legal and ethical codes of VA, Joint Commission and all appropriate professional Social Work sanctioning organizations. The incumbent protects electronic data from unauthorized release or from loss or alteration. The Senior Social Worker maintains a high level of work productivity in order to provide the most effective service delivery possible. The Senior Social Worker establishes and maintains contact with a network of resources throughout Franklin County and surrounding areas. Compiles information about application criteria, accessibility, and eligibility criteria for such resources. The Senior Social Worker has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illness/injuries, common medications and their effects, and medical terminology. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm or 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:91804-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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