Job opening: Social Worker - Assistant Chief
Salary: $106 376 - 138 286 per year
Published at: Oct 30 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
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
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU
As the supervisor, the incumbent assists in planning, establishing and implementing policies and procedures; developing individual or group goals and objectives as well as monitoring, operating, evaluating, coordinating and overseeing the Social Work, Professional Counselor, Vocational Rehabilitation, Peer and ancillary staff within the MHS line. The incumbent assures that the clinical staff whom they supervise are aware of, adhere to all current directives of VHA, and meet current TJC standards and VA-OIG expectations. In collaboration with the Social Work Chief, he/she will assure that all social work state licensure standards are met. He/She conducts ongoing intensive reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies.
The incumbent will perform assignments that are collateral to primary duties but have been deemed necessary to meet the needs of the organization and VISN. The Mental Health Social Worker Assistant Cheif is responsible for the various fund control points assigned to the programs under her supervision.
The incumbent makes independent professional decisions and recommendations to the Chief of Mental Health. In conjunction with the Chief of Mental Health and in collaboration with the facility Social Work Cheif, the incumbent plans, organizes and directs administrative, operational, patient and personnel activities for the service.
Clinical Duties
The incumbent provides direct clinical care services. These functions include, but are not limited to:
Providing intervention using evidence-based psychotherapies and supportive therapy.
Case management services to Veterans at high medical and/or social risk.
Psychosocial screening, assessment, planning and intervention using reminders and template screening tools.
Pre-admission planning and admission diversion services.
Discharge planning and coordination.
Coordination of community-based services, including information and referral.
Community liaison and networking services.
Crisis Intervention services.
Professional consultation and supervision on complex or unusual cases.
Patient and family education.
The Mental Health Social Work Assitant Cheif serves as a consultant to management and other professional staff directly or through committees concerning a wide variety of matters related to the mental health issues in order to provide professional advice and assistance in matters related to the MHS.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Compressed/Flexible:Negotiable
Telework: Negotiable
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Avaliable
EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Avaliable
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
United States Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may 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. 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)
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.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation.
(1) All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Grade Determination: GS-13
(1) Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates 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.
(2) 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.
(3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs.
(a) Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
(b) Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
(c) Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers.
(d) Ability to delegate authority, manage priorities, coordinate work, and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion.
(e) Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems, develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations, and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
(f) Ability to provide staff training and development.
(4) Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Supervisory social workers at the GS-13 grade level typically supervise professional and non-professional staff. They are responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service, in a care/product line, or across multiple sites, (e.g., multi-division facilities and CBOCs). Incumbent may also provide direct clinical services.]
References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.
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 James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center
2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard
Altoona, PA 16602
US
- Name: Tianna Miller
- Phone: 404-680-6127
- Email: [email protected]
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