If you are a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-11795207-23-ER. This position serves as a Senior Social Worker in the Conway Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) located within the catchment area of the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS). CAVHS CBOCs are typically located closer to rural areas in Arkansas and Mental Health Services are a key component of services provided at CBOCs. 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: 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/. Preferred Experience: None Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience and 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. Examples of creditable experience include but not limited to independently asses psychosocial functioning, facilitate treatment plan with interdisciplinary team using medical and mental health diagnoses knowledge, provide case management and care coordination, links patient with services, resources, and opportunities, conducts assessment of at-risk patient to identify immediate needs, provides interventions independently for patient and families/care giver, provide range of interventions and treatment modalities, and provide consultation to staff about psychosocial needs of patients. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (2 hours), near vision (correctable), far vision (correctable), hearing (aid permitted) and mental and emotional stability. Environmental factors include outside and inside, and working closely with others. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services). ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of the Senior Social Worker in Mental Health Service out of the Conway CBOC include but are not limited to: Performs mental health evaluations for a diverse population, including geriatric and post-deployment combat Veterans, who are mentally ill and who may have psychosocial issues such as homelessness, unemployment, or a poor family support network. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including diagnostic assessments, suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, evidence-based psychotherapy, and overall care of patients with mental health disorders. Modalities for patient care include face-to-face, video teleconference, and telephone calls as clinically appropriate. Provider must be able to incorporate alternative encounter modalities into clinical care. Ensures practice of mental healthcare is consistent with TJC, CARF, HIPPA, VA policies and procedures, clinical practice guidelines, national statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, and maintain mandatory continuing education. Maintains appropriate licensing and board certifications as applicable. Participates effectively in team meetings and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to enhance coordination of comprehensive patient care. Functions as part of a psychiatric care team working with other therapists, physicians, PAs, APRNs, nurses and other support staff. Orders consultations appropriately. Discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions. Primary responsibilities are in outpatient Psychiatric Services. 1 hour provided for new patients and for therapy follow ups. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-00284-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
