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This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 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. Preferred Experience: Experience in providing training presentations Preforming various types of assessments Organizational and administrative experience such as Excel Experience in handling upset or escalated patients successfully Working as a part of an interdisciplinary team References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 dated September 10, 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. ["**** This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 2/17/2023. Additional applications will be referred as needed. **** VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The Senior Social Worker who, in collaboration with the Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP Coordinator), coordinates and manages all administrative and clinical aspects of the Disruptive Behavior Committee (DBC) for El Paso Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (El Paso VAHCS). The incumbent is an independently licensed practitioner who has demonstrated advanced practice knowledge in the respective areas of violence risk assessment, behavioral threat assessment, and workplace violence prevention. The Senior Social Worker has the responsibility for coordinating and managing a multidisciplinary committee (Disruptive Behavior Committee), which may include Police, Patient Advocates, Patient Safety Personnel, Physicians, Pharmacists, Mental Health Professionals, Regional Counsel, Labor partners, and other clinical and non-clinical personnel. The incumbent co-chairs the DBC, providing oversight and coordination of health care system-wide efforts to prevent, reduce, manage, and respond to incidents of threatening, violent, or otherwise safety-compromising behaviors perpetrated by patients, visitors, and other non-employee beneficiaries of the VHA. Works in collaboration with the WVPP Program Manager to review, maintain, and develop policies and procedures for the WVPP. The WVPP Senior Social Worker coordinates and operationalizes the Disruptive Behavior Committee and ensures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Workplace Violence Prevention Program initiatives. Conducts risk assessments for violence risk using structured professional judgment as an evidence-based best practice. Completes necessary documentation of Committee activities, including agenda and minutes, and follow-up on all Committee recommended actions/interventions, serves as consultant to facility staff in the evaluation of violence risk and implementation of risk mitigation strategies, coordinates quality improvement projects around patient behavior, and is responsible for the management of computer-based flagging systems for identifying potentially violent or dangerous veteran patients, including biannual review of flags and maintaining a record of all patient flag reviews. The WVPP Senior Social Worker also collaborates with the Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) Program. As such, they are expected to possess or acquire, and maintain PMDB facility trainer status. The WVPP Senior Social Worker has experience that demonstrates experience at the advanced practice skill level in social work and has specialized knowledge of practice that can be differentiated from the independent practice social worker by the ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, administer a facility program, provide consultation and guidance to colleagues, role model effective social work practice skills, teach or provide orientation to less experienced social workers, and develop innovations in practice interventions. The incumbent administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to Veterans, families, Caregivers and VA employees impacted by intimate partner violence. Participates in direct Veteran, family, Caregiver and VA employee contacts to identify and assess risk, safety, supports and the development and application of directed clinical and non-clinical interventions. Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on workplace violence and risk management issues. Creates educational tools, develops programs, and implements training focused on specific workplace violence prevention needs/issues. Provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees, Veterans, families, and Caregivers. Provides ongoing consultation and support to colleagues regarding workplace violence assistance. Develops and facilitates support groups (face-to-face or electronically based) and educational programs. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN17EDRP2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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