The incumbent assesses and treats complicated psychosocial problems of Women Veterans to improve the overall quality of care provided to this population. Women Veteran's Program (WVP) Social Worker responsibilities include assessment of psychosocial problems often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis and may include the provision of short-term solution, focused counseling with Veteran and/or their families. 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. Proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Hold 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Senior Social Worker Licensure: 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 must be able to provide supervision for licensure. GS-12 ASWB Examination: Must have completed and passed the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) advanced generalist or clinical examination. GS-12 Senior Social Worker Experience: Must possess at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. GS-12 Senior Social Worker Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience for the GS-12 level, must possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 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. References: VA Qualification Standards, including the Social Worker Qualification Standard, are located at VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO). The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work include sitting, standing, walking, standing, driving, pushing equipment and wheelchairs, lifting, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and carrying light items such as papers, books, or other supplies. The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks. The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the Veteran/patient population and their families/caregivers. A level of self-awareness and emotional intelligence is essential. ["Major duties include: Provides independent clinical duties to include a full range of social work within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes comprehensive biopsychosocial spiritual assessments, documentation, social determinants of health screenings, Advance Directives, Goals of Care, case management, crisis intervention, risk/suicide assessments, documentation, safety planning, abuse/neglect/exploitation screening and reporting, psychoeducation, resource referrals, coordination of care within SAVAHCS and community stakeholders, discharge care planning, and other services as appropriate. Performs program management duties including outreach, survey readiness, monitoring of environment of care needs, assisting with implementation of strategic planning goals, review/expansion of programs and services as well as programmatic coverage in the absence of the Women Veteran's Program Manager. Assists in coordinating the provision of the comprehensive health care services to Women Veterans; medical and/or psychosocial care of their physical and mental health needs. Assists in ensuring the coordination and provision of gender specific and gynecological services; family planning; counseling and treatment for sexual trauma; appropriate psychiatric services such as drug and alcohol treatment and group therapy, which may have gender variations; endocrinology; and oncology (breast and reproductive cancers) to eligible Women Veterans. Serves as a crucial member of the reproductive interdisciplinary team with a dedicated time to focus of psychosocial problems that may arise during pregnancy and connect this population to social resources. Serves as a member of the Women Veterans Health Committee, meeting regularly to manage the care of Women patients and to identify and address areas of special concern for Women Veterans who use the facility. Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives, VA benefits, etc. Provides referrals for individual, family and group counseling as appropriate. Acts as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. Provides a full range of Social Work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. Provides wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate. Participates in committee assignments as deemed necessary by the service manager. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.