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.

Duties

This social worker will serve as a BHIP Care Coordinator, providing expert clinical andcare coordination services to Veterans served by the VA Medical Center's interdisciplinary Mental Health Outpatient and Access Clinic (MH-OPAC). The duties of the Senior Social Worker (Program Coordinator) include but are not limited to: Oversees BHIP team communication, including TEAMs chat within and between the team and other stakeholders involved in patient care and administration. Monitors dashboards and reports to ensure timely completion of required screenings and follow-up care (e.g., suicide prevention, post discharge visits) Leads BHIP huddle/breakout meetings including adherence to guidelines and expectations for the MH-OPAC (e.g., huddle report review, case conference) Engages in communication with Veterans to facilitate care coordination (e.g., no show and clinic cancellation, services offered, resolution of concerns with escalation to or in consultation with MH-OPAC leadership as needed) Monitors panel activity and inactivity to ensure appropriate episodes of care and transitions in line with active treatment plans. Manages within BHIP team consults, and other consult-related actions as assigned. Communicates and ensures adherence to MH-OPAC processes and procedures, including emerging guidance by the MH-OPAC Program Manager Uses advanced clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Maintains open access availability to support timely determination of ideal levels and settings for service engagement and utilization based on set protocols and processes. Assesses high risk factors, including suicidal and homicidal ideation, as well as, acute needs for VHA or community-based services. Completes clinical and psychosocial assessments and screenings identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, abilities, and preferences. Provides triage support including notification and assignment to team members either for same day or scheduled appointments. Serves as Mental Health Treatment Coordinator for the BHIP team as assigned. Serves as a liaison to touchpoints across the facility (e.g., emergency department, screening areas, primary care mental health integration) to promote best practices in mental health access, engagement, transition, referral, and utilization of a stepped care model, to include the universal symbol for mental health and associated decision tree. Monitors and reports data for the purposes of best practice utilization and process improvement and implementation. Provides crisis intervention, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary treatment team, for Veterans who are experiencing severe social or mental health crises. Provides motivational enhancement activities to prepare Veterans to participate in clinically appropriate care. Develops, updates and/or facilitates treatment plan(s) using required documentation and within established timeframes and based on clinical need and person-centered treatment goals. Demonstrates a detailed knowledge of VHA programs and community services, to meet the needs of Veterans. Completes all documentation in the electronic medical record within established timeframes. Work Schedule: M-F, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available (ADHOC emergency only) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00585F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Olympia Smith at [email protected] , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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/. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12. Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and 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) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Preferred Experience: 1. Experience conducting Suicide Risk Assessments. 2. Experience providing and / or certification in providing evidenced based treatments. 3. Experience providing brief Diagnostic evaluations. 4. Experience working in a primary care or outpatient Mental Health clinic. 5. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying of light objects such as files, books and papers. Some walking, standing and bending is required. No special physical qualifications are required.

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 GV Sonny Montgomery VAMC 1500 East Woodrow Wilson Drive Jackson, MS 39216 US
• Name: Richard Cohen
• Phone: 504-422-9343
• Email: [email protected]