Summary

The Senior Social Worker for the Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) Substance Use Disorder Program (SUD) provides advanced practice treatment to a highly complex population. This population consists of individuals with chronic substance use disorders - mental illness - chronic health conditions and homelessness. The Senior Social worker is mapped at 100% clinical services within the Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) 5CRH.

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 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-12 Senior Social Worker Grade Determinations: 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: (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
• Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level
• Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site
• a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center - or a national VHA referral center - such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center - or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity
• The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics
• The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans - ensures equity of access - service - and benefits to this population - ensures the care provided is of the highest quality
• The senior social worker provides leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff
• They serve on committees - work groups - and task forces at the facility - VISN and national level - or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor - Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services
• This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management
• This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation
• Preferred Experience: Must be fully licensed at the independent level - 3 years experience - post licensure - performing in the role of Mental Health Therapist
• working with Substance Use Disorders
• Certificate in at least three VA and/or DOD Evidence Based Protocols - one of which is preferably CBT-SUD
• Ability to complete 6 evidence based clinical sessions a day including documentation and encountering
• 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-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties: The Senior Social Worker assesses and utilizes DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders - triages - and refers patients to the appropriate level of care by utilizing American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria
• The Senior Social Worker is trained in the treatment of co-occurring disorders
• The Senior Social Worker utilizes strategies for treating substance use disorders and is knowledgeable about pharmacotherapy used in treating addiction
• The Senior Social Worker identifies co-morbid psychiatric conditions in the assessment of of addictive disorders and develops treatment plans appropriate for those with co-morbid diagnoses
• To address co-occurring mental illness with this complex population - the Senior Social Worker for the Clinical Resource Hub provides specialized empirically validated therapy
• This requires an extensive understanding of a multitude of Evidenced Based Therapies - including but not limited to - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) - Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) - Dialectical behavior Therapy (DBT) - Post Induction Therapy (PIT) - and skills Training for Affective and interpersonal Regulation (STAIR)
• Duties may include but are not limited to
• Required to assess for - intoxication and the potential for withdrawal syndrome and refer as necessary
• Has a thorough understanding of various lab test such as toxicology test - breathalyzers and urinalysis and consults with medical providers as appropriate in the interpretation of such test
• Maintains professional development in the area of new treatment options available by reviewing literature pertaining to addictions (CSAT treatment tips - other related articles.)
• Develops/maintains treatment plans specific to individuals patient needs - monitors treatment progress and documents in system
• Provide individual - group couples - and family therapy and advanced level of case management interventions considering the complexity of individual cases
• Facilitates discharge planning and coordinates aftercare services to include linking the Veteran to needed community - State and Federal services such as financial benefits - housing - food - transportation - and/or energy assistance
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary treatment teams made up psychiatry - psychology - nursing - addiction therapist - and peer support
• Provide EAP services to VA employees
• Responsible for completing psychosocial assessments - making diagnostic impressions and treatment recommendations
• Assesses for suicidality and risk for self-harm according to policy and based on clinical assessment
• Educates Veterans on - and completes - Advanced Directives and Psychiatric Advanced Directives when indicated
• Other duties as assigned or required
• Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM 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: Ad-Hoc maybe available per
• VA Guidance Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 25075-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): No Authorized