Senior Social Worker (ICMHR) - RELOCATION INCENTIVE

Summary Serves in the Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services-Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (ICMHR-RANGE) program, an outpatient intensive clinical case management program in the Valley Coastal Bend Mental Health Care Line. This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 5/5/2023. Additional applications will be referred as needed. Responsibilities The clinical and programmatic activities subsumed under this Senior Social Worker position are conducted as part of the Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services-Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (ICMHR-RANGE) program, an outpatient intensive clinical case management program in the Valley Coastal Bend Mental Health Care Line. The goal of the ICMHR-RANGE Program is to provide intensive clinical case management services to veterans who have chronic, severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses. The program is characterized by high staff to patient ratios, service delivery in the community, practical problem solving approach to the work and offers a high degree of continuity of care. The program utilizes an interdisciplinary team treatment approach and ICMHR-RANGE clinicians serve as the primary outpatient mental health providers. The incumbent provides a full range of therapeutic & case management services including assessments, consultations and therapies to patients in the ICMHRRANGE program including, but not limited to: Provides frequent, direct contacts with consumers to provide therapy and support. Frequency of contacts is increased in times of crisis. Maintains flexibility in Veteran contact (Veterans are seen in any location and with any RANGE team clinician who can provide assistance). Focusing on strengthening the consumer's ability to address acute and chronic problems. Utilizes naturalistic community settings for teaching and modeling problem-solving skills. Provision of continuity of care within the framework established by ICMHR-RANGE. For example, collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams and programs to promote and enhance the care provided. Outreach and assertive provision of services to treatment resistant members. Mobilization of environmental and organizational supports, including family members, professional, and other interested parties. Provides evidence based individual, family or group psychotherapies based on assessment and diagnosis. Offers Psycho-educational programs for Veterans, families and staff. Maintains responsibility for linking participants to other VA programs and to community resources. Participates in team staffing regarding member selection, determination of treatment plans and goals, progress evaluation, discharge planning, and after care. Works assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs, treatment plans, and case management services for assigned members. Works to promote appropriate treatment, rehabilitation, and expeditious discharge of assigned members, consistent with program goals and with the individual treatment plans. Other duties as assigned by ICMHR Program Coordinator, Supervisory Psychologist, or Chief of Psychology. May be asked to serve as a clinical supervisor for MSW student interns or others social workers seeking advanced clinical licensure. May be asked to prepare and teach seminars/workshops for VATVCBHCS trainees/staff on topics within interest/competency areas. May choose to conduct approved psychological research that supports the mission of VATVCBHCS in collaboration with other professionals in VATVCBHCS or affiliated academic institutions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Senior Social Worker ICMHR Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for a highly qualified candidate Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,07/21/2023 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 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/. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION REGARDING ALABAMA SW LICENSURE. 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). Preferred Experience: Full independent licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Not less than one-year of clinical experience with individuals diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness Not less than one-year experience providing community-based case management/clinical services. Clear documentation of experience providing evidenced-based clinical practices (i.e., Cognitive Behavioral therapy for Psychosis, Social Skills Training, DBT, etc.). Not less than one-year working with an integrated disciplinary mental health clinical team. Grade Determinations: GS12 Senior Social Worker 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. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION REGARDING ALABAMA SW 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. Advanced Practice Level: For all assignments above the full performance (journey) 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. Advanced Practice Level is defined as the ability to provide independent and expert clinical psychosocial and case management services in a specialized area of practice to Veterans who tend to have serious and severe crises, may lack any familial and community support, may be poor self-monitors, may frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or may have major deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. The advanced practice or senior social worker has an increased depth and breadth of practice skills; has expertise in participating in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching; demonstrates leadership in developing and expanding professional intervention strategies; demonstrates leadership in defining and attending to professional practice issues; and has the ability to expand the conceptual knowledge of the profession. The advanced practice or senior social worker will make independent professional decisions and recommendations for agency action; the consequences to the Veteran of these decisions and actions may be quite serious. Work involves intensive social work services requiring the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of complex social work practice skills not typically required in routine social work interventions. The advanced practice or senior social worker has mastered a range of specialized interventions and provides consultation to colleagues, renders professional opinions based on experience and expertise, develops new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention, and incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment. The advanced practice or senior social worker utilizes outcome evaluations to further treatment and designs system changes based on empirical findings. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 VA Qualification Standards. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking/standing (up to 5 hours); kneeling (up to half an hour); repeated bending (up to 1 hour); climbing, legs only (up to half an hour); operation of a crate, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable in one eye at 13' to 16' to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic and shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability; cognitive stability. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Failure to provide transcripts may result in non-referral of your application if education cannot be verified. Must 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. NOTE: If your school was accredited by CSWE at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information NOTE Licenses from the state of Alabama no longer meet VA regulatory requirements for independent licensure. To qualify for the assignment of Senior Social Worker at the GS-12 level, you must have 2 years of experience at the advanced practice level, earning while having an active, unrestricted advanced practice license in a U.S. state or territory other than Alabama. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.