Senior Social Worker - Inpatient
The incumbent serves as an inpatient clinician for the Robley Rex Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The incumbent works independently and autonomously to provide clinical psychosocial, therapeutic substance abuse and mental health treatment services at an advanced practice level. The population served includes eligible veterans and their family members presenting with physical, psychological, social, and environmental needs. The Veterans treated by this position will come from suburban and rural areas and counties throughout the Robley Rex VAMC service area. Their healthcare and psychosocial needs are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. The incumbent demonstrates advanced level skills to engage the veteran, their family members, significant others, community agency representatives, and other staff utilizing an array of supports to promote veteran well being, mental stability and community integration. Major duties include:
Interviews veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health. Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Has the ability to serve a variety of at risk veterans. Based on the psychosocial assessment, uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis to include appropriate DSM V criteria. Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members and the Veterans' input, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment and crisis intervention. Independently determines the appropriate course of therapy treatment or intervention, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran. Evaluates practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer/quality reviews and discussions, case conferences in Mental Health and Well Being, and any other organized means as indicated. Initiates and effects changes in methods and interventions to promote efficient practice and improve treatment outcomes. Participates in the assignment of veterans to treatment teams and programs, if possible. Utilizing expertise in the broad array of group therapy modalities available to aid veterans in their recovery, the Senior Social Worker is responsible for assessing the needs of the veterans and designing, coordinating, and managing the group programming schedule of the inpatient MH unit. Receives and completes requests for services (consults) from interdisciplinary team members, clinics, and from other professionals on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, suicide safety plans, treatment plans, progress notes, follow up, collaboration, collateral information, informed consent, and referrals. Manages the quality control and evaluation of the professional services provided. Along with the interdisciplinary team, directs/coordinates clinical and psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the services provided. Serves as a mentor to other Social Workers and acts as a role model for entry level Social Workers and interdisciplinary team members as a senior clinician with advanced practice skills and expertise. Provides training to students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines, if needed. Work Schedule:
Full-time, Monday-Friday 8:
00 am-4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. 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. 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:
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. Preferred
Experience:
Previous inpatient mental health experience. All employees must:
Show a commitment to VHA:
Applicants should demonstrate interest in a rewarding career working for VHA Provide Excellent Customer Service:
Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures- handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Must be able to accept criticism and maintain a calm demeanor in stressful situations. Demonstrate Communication Skills and Leadership Qualities:
Candidates must have a talent for communication and demonstrate potential for leadership. These qualities are essential for positions employed at VHA facilities. Grade Determinations:
Specialized
Experience:
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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39; A copy is available in your local Human Resources office. Physical Requirements:
All candidates must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Candidates must meet the physical requirements outlined in Section II and Section VI of the OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for General Scale Positions and must possess emotional and mental stability.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
Interviews veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health. Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Has the ability to serve a variety of at risk veterans. Based on the psychosocial assessment, uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis to include appropriate DSM V criteria. Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members and the Veterans' input, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment and crisis intervention. Independently determines the appropriate course of therapy treatment or intervention, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran. Evaluates practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer/quality reviews and discussions, case conferences in Mental Health and Well Being, and any other organized means as indicated. Initiates and effects changes in methods and interventions to promote efficient practice and improve treatment outcomes. Participates in the assignment of veterans to treatment teams and programs, if possible. Utilizing expertise in the broad array of group therapy modalities available to aid veterans in their recovery, the Senior Social Worker is responsible for assessing the needs of the veterans and designing, coordinating, and managing the group programming schedule of the inpatient MH unit. Receives and completes requests for services (consults) from interdisciplinary team members, clinics, and from other professionals on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, suicide safety plans, treatment plans, progress notes, follow up, collaboration, collateral information, informed consent, and referrals. Manages the quality control and evaluation of the professional services provided. Along with the interdisciplinary team, directs/coordinates clinical and psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the services provided. Serves as a mentor to other Social Workers and acts as a role model for entry level Social Workers and interdisciplinary team members as a senior clinician with advanced practice skills and expertise. Provides training to students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines, if needed. Work Schedule:
Full-time, Monday-Friday 8:
00 am-4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. 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. 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:
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. Preferred
Experience:
Previous inpatient mental health experience. All employees must:
Show a commitment to VHA:
Applicants should demonstrate interest in a rewarding career working for VHA Provide Excellent Customer Service:
Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures- handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Must be able to accept criticism and maintain a calm demeanor in stressful situations. Demonstrate Communication Skills and Leadership Qualities:
Candidates must have a talent for communication and demonstrate potential for leadership. These qualities are essential for positions employed at VHA facilities. Grade Determinations:
Specialized
Experience:
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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39; A copy is available in your local Human Resources office. Physical Requirements:
All candidates must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Candidates must meet the physical requirements outlined in Section II and Section VI of the OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for General Scale Positions and must possess emotional and mental stability.
- Department:
0185 Social Work - Salary Range:
$76,721 to $99,741 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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