The VA Cheyenne Health Care System is recruiting for a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) practitioner, located in Cheyenne, WY. This is a multi-discipline position and selections can be made from the following: Psychologist, Social Worker or Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor.

Duties

The incumbent functions as a full performance Mental Health Service Line Social Worker within the Cheyenne VA Health Care System (CVAHCS). The incumbent provides a combination of General and Specialty Mental Health services at the assigned location. Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Therapists provide general mental health services, including supportive counseling and limited evidence informed treatment at a frequency that is typically no more than 1x week, while Specialty care is goal-focused, diagnosis-specific evidence-based treatment that is provided on a weekly basis for the duration of the evidence based protocol. The incumbent functions as a collaborative member of the interdisciplinary BHIP and/or Specialty team, providing high quality, collaborative, and coordinated mental and behavioral health care to Veterans. The incumbent employs a variety of psychological, rehabilitation, social work, counseling, and mental health techniques which are within the scope of the incumbent's licensure, including but not limited to individual, group, couples, and family treatment. Major duties of the position include: -Provides initial assessments and follow up counseling and therapy services within the scope of the BHIP and Specialty models of care. -Independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans, identifying their strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. - Provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. - Independently formulates and implements a treatment plan in collaboration with the Veteran and families/caregivers when appropriate; participates in interdisciplinary review of ongoing treatment of assigned Veterans on an annual and as-needed basis. - Provides a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy, within scope of licensure. - Provides crisis intervention when indicated, including timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. - Provides ongoing documentation of Veteran's treatment progress using a psychosocial and behavioral framework. - Provides clinical case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans. - Works collaboratively with Interdisciplinary Treatment Teams. Establishes and sustains collaborative relationship with BHIP and Specialty MH providers and other team members providing care to assigned Veterans. - Serves on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. - Provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans, offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise, and role modeling effective social work practice skills. - Attends Mental Health Service Line and Social Work Discipline meetings and other mandatory meetings regularly. - Assists in identifying and carrying out continuous process review projects to improve the safety and quality of care provided to Veterans. - Maintains current BLS and/or First Aid certification and remain current on all licensures. - Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be considered with supervisory review and approval Telework: May be considered with supervisory review and approval Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:PD53417 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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 tohttp://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/. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. (a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for 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 and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Social Worker, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G-39 Dated September 10, 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GsS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of Gs-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Must be able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity, must be able to express or exchange ideals by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

Contacts

• Address Cheyenne VA Medical Center 2360 East Pershing Boulevard Cheyenne, WY 82001 US
• Name: Tiffany Mansell
• Phone: 407-631-8640
• Email: [email protected]