The Senior Social Worker is assigned to one of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) teams in the Behavioral Medicine Service (BMS) at Eastern Oklahoma VA Healthcare System (EOVAHCS). The Senior Social Worker provides Veterans enrolled in BMS with high quality clinical interventions, individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy and family psychotherapy, advocacy, education, and coordination of referral sources within the community and the VA. 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/. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. AND 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1. 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.2. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.3. 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.4. 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.5. 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 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: This position is predominately a clinical/administrative position. However, as this position requires a licensed professional, the physical demands remain equivalent to the clinical requirements for the position. The clinical component of this position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses permitted), keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15- 44 pounds). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. ["The Senior Social Worker will complete a thorough psychosocial assessment of the Veterans enrolled in BMS. The Senior Social Worker performs psychosocial assessments for individuals with DSM diagnoses and/or comorbid diagnoses such as: substance use, trauma related, anxiety, mood, psychotic, and personality disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. Collaboration with the Veteran, other team members, family members, guardians, and other significant others and review of past medical records is essential in this assessment process, The goal of the assessment is to obtain accurate history, define symptoms, make diagnosis and identify treatment goals. The assessment also highlights the Veterans strengths, limitations, supports and services needed to optimize the Veterans preferred status. Treatment and Recovery Planning/Goal Setting:\nThe Senior Social Worker performs individual, family and group therapeutic interventions using evidenced based therapeutic techniques such as but not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Seeking Safety, Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation, Exposure, Relaxation, and Re-scripting Therapy for Trauma-Related Nightmares, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and other clinical interventions which are clinically privileged. Consult with and serve as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for and development of psychosocial services for women Veterans and/or Veterans with a history of military sexual trauma. Implements Treatment:\nThe Senior Social Worker provides clinical services to Veterans and family members. The therapeutic process assists Veterans in addressing and solving their problems. The Senior Social Worker educates and assists Veterans in problem solving techniques, rational thinking, and action planning. The Senior Social Worker demonstrates acceptance, interest, encouragement and selectively uses questioning, explanation and guidance to help Veterans explore their problems. Professional judgment, including knowledge of DSM symptoms and diagnosis is an inherent competency applied in daily interactions with Veterans. The Senior Social Worker is responsible for having a highly developed professional, clinical, and advance practice skills that are routinely used to treat Veteran with complex problems, histories of non-compliance, and inability or unwillingness to participate in treatment. Referral to service providers:\nThroughout the course of treatment, the Senior Social Worker is the subject matter expert on VA and community resources. The Senior Social Worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs for VA, community, and entitlement services. The Senior Social Worker will educate and coordinate available services for the Veteran and assist them in the decision-making process based on the Veterans preferences and treatment goals. Crisis Intervention:\nSenior Social Worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management. The Senior Social Worker will follow VA SOP's and MCM's in the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency. On-call Rotation:\nSenior Social Worker will be responsible for 24/7 ER on-call rotation as scheduled. SW will be available during those time to present in person to the ER for crisis assessment. SW will make appropriate recommendations depending on the assessment with the Veteran and plan for continuation of care. Administrative Responsibilities:\nThe Senior Social Worker will enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. Regular behavioral medicine service and social work peer reviews will be completed according to schedule. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm\nCompressed/Flexible: May be available with supervisor or service approval\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 53808-O\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]