Summary

The WVP Senior Social Worker will provide a full range of services based on Veteran's needs - acuity level - and preferences for care. Services may include - but are not limited to: initial comprehensive assessments of Women Veterans new to the VAMHCS - case management - psycho-education groups - group therapy - resource referral and linkage - specialized care coordination - development of community partnerships and relationships - identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services.

Qualifications

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 4 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/
• 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 (1) Experience/Education
• The candidate must have at least two years of experience 9 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
• (2) 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
• Senior Social Worker - GS-12 Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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
• (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• (c) 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
• (d) 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
• (e) 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: Women's Health and perinatal care
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties: Provide consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources - Advance Directives - VA benefits - budgeting - activities of daily living - and recovery goals
• Act as a consultant on topics related to women's mental health to other team/staff members and take a lead clinical role in case consultation
• Identify targeted training needs specifically around gender specific mental health needs not limited to
• menopause - infertility - eating disorders - postpartum
• Collaborate with the Intimate Partner Violence Coordinator - Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator - Women's Health Medical Director and Women's Veteran Program Manager - to improve Women's Mental Health care throughout the VA Maryland HealthCare System - Fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans - colleagues and VA in accordance with NASW Code of Ethics - VHA Code of Ethics - and local ethics policies
• This includes but is not limited to: compliance with all laws and regulations related to confidentiality and release of information
• protecting Veterans' personal identifying information
• Document all Veteran care in the electronic health record in accordance with facility policy - VHA Directive 1162.05 (and revisions) - and program-specific SOPs
• Responsible for participation and collaboration with Women's Veteran Program in the development of process improvement - system redesign - and/or other applicable workgroups and committees - to include creation of standard work documents or strategic plan implementation
• Take responsibility for improving professional competencies by participating training programs and continuing education with an emphasis on gender specific needs
• Maintain accurate records of trainings in accordance with VA policies and state licensure requirements
• Evaluate own practice through professional peer review - case conferences - and other means
• Encourages and participates in research efforts and/or the dissemination of research that is significant and beneficial to VA staff and the care of Women Veterans
• Complete all mandatory VA trainings in a timely manner
• The WVP Senior Social Worker may also be assigned to do the following: Program evaluation to identify and address barriers to program enrollment/engagement and rapid access
• Serve as a consultant and subject-matter expert to clinical staff
• Actively participate in facility committees relevant to integrated care
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer 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-Ad Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 512-26528-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized