The San Diego VA Medical Center is recruiting for a full-time Senior Social Worker(s) (STEPPED CARE EXPANSION) in the Mental Health Care Line located in San Diego, CA. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until June 28, 2022. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. 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: The physical demands of this position involve lifting, walking, standing, use of both eyes, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades, hearing aid (permitted). The environmental factors of this position involve being able to work outside and/or inside, to work with others, and to work alone. 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 DETERMINATION: 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 (2) 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. Preferred Experience: Experience, training, and/or certification in multiple evidence-based practices for treatment of mental health issues (depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorders, psychosis, etc.) Social worker comfortable with working effectively and efficiently in a fast-paced, high volume clinic. Social worker experienced in dealing with acute mental health patients, clinical supervision experience, and knowledge of education/research best practices. Diligent, independent clinician who works well with multidisciplinary team members within a demanding mental health clinic. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39, Dated September 10, 2019. ["Duties for this position may include but are not limited to: Performs specialized treatment of complex mental illness for patients seen in the mental health clinic. Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Specific tasks may include: screening of consults for mental health services from medical center or Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), biopsychosocial assessments, treatment planning/goal setting, referral(s) to service providers and specialty treatment clinics, resource utilization and development, advocacy, crisis intervention, education and prevention, case management and care coordination, supportive counseling, and administrative responsibilities to their assigned clinic. Able to provide individual, group, and family psychotherapy and advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with serious medical and psychiatric disorders. Provides services that access the continuum of care. Provides services on an outpatient basis, but may interact and coordinate with inpatient treatment team members. Participates in future program planning for the mental health clinic, and collaborates with other clinic staff and the medical center mental health clinic(s) as appropriate. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the mental health clinic, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Able to demonstrate the ability to design changes based on empirical findings. Offers consultation to colleagues and students of all disciplines and of various clinics on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\nCompressed/Flexible: Negotiable\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Authorized / Contact Miriam.Ubiles@va.gov (EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance)\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized\nPCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]