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This Senior Social Worker is assigned primarily to the Emergency Department (ED) to provide direct services for adult Veterans and their families who present for services. The incumbent may work non-traditional shifts including weekends, evenings, overnight, and holidays, depending on their tour of duty scheduled. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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 Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. 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 Master 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 dependently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker GS-12 Experience and Education: 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, the candidate must demonstrate 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. Physical Requirements: Work, divided between office and clinical settings, is primarily sedentary. May require prolonged standing, moderate walking, and manual dexterity. Requires carrying light items, such as books, files, or laptop computer References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II, Appendix G39 ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Triage veterans that present to the Emergency Department for a mental health evaluation, completion of the comprehensive suicide risk assessment of veterans that present as positive on the Columbia Assessment during nurse/physician triage, completion of homicidal risk assessment to others, completion of the suicide safety plan and aggregate program referrals. Assess biopsychosocial challenges of Veterans when consulted by ED staff, provide clinical intervention in support of disposition planning, and care coordination/referral for continuity of care. Collaborates with the multidisciplinary team for consultation regarding treatment and disposition for patients in the ED. Provides family comfort/care for distraught family members who have brought the veteran in to the ED. Assists in forming discharge plans for: veterans with complex/difficult dispositions, for suicide risk patients, patients who are intoxicated, impaired or undergoing detox, adult protection issues, skilled nursing home facilities placements, home-care referrals, homeless patients, and general medical or behavioral health social work discharges that involve follow up with case management, family/care-giver advice, or community resources. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the consumer constructively and appropriately. Performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs, as assigned. Work Schedule: Various tours Sunday thru Saturday, positions are fulfilling the mandate for 24/7, 365 days of coverage by SW for the ED. Tours may be compressed and may have rotating weekends.\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 0000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact kendra.broughton@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nPCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]