This Senior Level Social Worker in the (Substance Use Disorder Service) practices in the VHSO Mental Health Service to provide mental health services as a licensed clinical social worker working at an advanced practice level. A social worker when practicing at the advanced level will have specialized knowledge of practice related to a diagnosis, i.e., substance use disorder and patient population, i.e., co-occurring disorders.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties include, but are not limited to: Provide specialized evidence-based treatment to Veterans enrolled in the (SUD service). The population served may lack familial and community support, be poor self monitors, have difficulty adhering to recommended treatment due to the nature of their mental illness or other psychosocial barriers, and may have major deficits in coping skills and require intensive professional psychological support. Function as a licensed independent provider of mental health/SUD services. Conduct full psychosocial diagnostic evaluations using the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Psychiatric Disorders. Primarily responsible for screening, assessing, treatment planning, clinical care provision, leading treatment plan reviews for improving outcomes, and discharge planning at an advanced practice level. Represent the social work profession and perspective on a multidisciplinary team that may include other social workers, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other disciplines. Provide and maintain expertise regarding VA and community psychosocial resources. Participate in program development within their assigned program including community outreach. Participate in tracking the care of Veterans as they move through the treatment process. The Social Worker will also be involved in measuring treatment outcomes using testing and other measures. Utilize outcome evaluations to further treatment and design system changes based on empirical findings. Responsible for participating in clinical program development and is accountable to clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. This may include partnering with local universities, community colleges, and other agencies to improve the delivery of mental health services and increase utilization. Work as indicated in collaboration with the Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator, Peer Support Specialist, or any other VA employee for any justice involved Veterans they are treating who are in legal processes or enrolled in Veterans Treatment Court, assuring timely comprehensive assessment, treatment recommendations, reporting, documentation, and thorough treatment planning. Work in conjunction with the other disciplines to partner in the care of Veterans with complex biopsychosocial needs. Demonstrate the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in their special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. Responsible for the independent planning and provision of treatment services for those veterans assigned to his/her case-management. Independently identify high-risk patients and provides safety planning, crisis intervention, coordinates staffing with other team members and/or family conferences when clinically indicated. Grow and maintain a thorough knowledge of relevant continuum of care and or wrap around services including specialized, residential, and other services in the community and VA that specifically serve the Veteran populations they are working with. Identify Veterans in need of additional specialized care outside their immediate service system and work with the admissions personnel of such appropriate other programs or services within or outside the VA or community to secure needed treatment for Veterans. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564-00795-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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. 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 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/. 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: Grade Requirements: GS-12 Requirements Experience and 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate 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. Note: KSAs must be clearly reflected in your resume under description of duties to be found qualified for this position/grade level. Preferred Experience: Experience and interest in treating substance use disorder (SUD), SUD with challenging co-morbid conditions, and enjoys outpatient, residential care, and case management. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is (GS-12). Physical Requirements: Physical Demands Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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 Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center 1100 North College Avenue Fayetteville, AR 72703 US
• Name: Ashley Coleman
• Phone: 601-206-6900 X66909
• Email: [email protected]