This Social Worker position is in the Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP) services located at the Jamaica Plain campus of VA Boston Healthcare System. SARRTP is a 20-bed residential substance abuse treatment program that is designed to provide comprehensive rehabilitation treatment services for veterans present with substance use disorders and a wide range of co-occurring mental health problems. This position is a full-time at 40 per week.

Duties

The social worker engages in the following duties: Screening assessments of veterans referred to the program Conducts group and individual therapy for veterans admitted to the program Engages in treatment planning and goal setting with veterans admitted to the program Provides individual support during clinical emergencies Provides social work input and support during treatment team meetings. This incumbent will be able to complete intake assessments, individualized treatment planning, case management, advocacy, and complete the required paperwork. The incumbent will serve as an expert in community resources that help support the veteran's goals with substance abuse and/or mental health. The incumbent may also assist with management of the SARRTP consult service and may provide direct care services (intake assessment; individual and group therapy) for the JP Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program (ADTP). Screening / Assessment: The social worker will conduct weekly screening assessment of veterans referred to the program that will help to determine the appropriate level of care necessary for the veterans needs. Once the veteran is admitted to the residential program, the incumbent will engage in further psychosocial assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others (when available). These assessments will include a special focus on substance use disorders and as well as common psychiatric comorbidities followed by the formulation of a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses all of the veteran's identified needs. The social worker will be able to diagnose using the DSM 5 for each veteran assessed. Clinical Services: The social worker will provide group therapy sessions focusing on helping veterans build skills to maintain long term recovery from substance use. The incumbent may also provide individual therapy focusing on the treatment of co-occurring disorders such as PTSD, depression, and other anxiety disorders. The incumbent will also provide risk assessments, safety planning, and measurement based care for veterans admitted to the program. Treatment Planning /Goal Setting: The social worker may be responsible for developing the treatment plan for veterans admitted to the program. The incumbent will include dangerousness/risk, psychiatric, substance abuse, and psychosocial problems onto the interdisciplinary treatment plan. This social worker will review this treatment plan with the veteran and the members of the interdisciplinary team. Ongoing assessment and updating treatment plans are done according to program policy. Referral to Service Providers: The social worker will help the veteran access services that are pertinent to his or her individual psychotherapy treatment goals. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs for inpatient, outpatient, residential, or community-based programs. The social worker is responsible for educating the veteran of the available services, identifying contacts, and/or making the appropriate referrals for this veteran. Resource Development: The social worker is responsible for maintaining a resource file of VA and community social service programs and will refer the resident to needed services, as needed. Advocacy: The social worker will act as an advocate to assist veteran in a variety of contexts when it serves the best interest of the resident. When appropriate and feasible, the social worker will educate and encourage the resident to advocate on their own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Crisis Intervention: The social worker is experienced in making risk assessments, developing individualized crisis management plans in order to maintain the veteran's physical and mental health. The social worker will understand the protocol for addressing risk within SARRTP. The social worker will work to deescalate a situation before a crisis occurs. The social worker will also be responsible for maintaining Basic Life Support (First Aid and CPR) at all times. Education/Health promotion and prevention: The SW will provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advanced Directives/Living Will, and will refer veteran to the appropriate treatment provider for any identified concerns outside of the rudimental program. There are many opportunities to engage in VA trainings to learn evidence based practices for treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday to Friday. 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Ad-hoc. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 523-F03927 & 523-F03928 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. 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/. 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 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. 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 (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) 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. (3) Entry Level Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Social Worker GS-11 (1) 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 and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. (2) 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. (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. (3) Full Performance Level Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties 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 and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. Preferred Experience: Minimum of 1 year Mental Health or Substance Abuse experience preferred. References: VA 5005 APPENDIX G39. SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019.

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 VA Boston Healthcare System 940 Belmont Street Brockton, MA 02301 US
• Name: Kimberly Johnson
• Phone: 224-706-4612
• Email: [email protected]