The Mental Health Senior Social Worker (MHSSW) provides Mental Health services to Veterans enrolled at the VA San Diego Healthcare System whom are engaged with Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services, either the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) or Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) programs.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties: The MHSSW performs specialized treatment of complex mental and physical illness. MHSSW incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The MHSSW responds to consults sent to the ICMHR program by interviewing the Veteran utilizing questionnaires and other measurement devices while assessing the Veteran's emotional, functional, and psychological condition. Presents the findings to the ICMHR team to determine rejection or acceptance into the ICMHR program. The MHSSW functions as case manager for Veterans in the ICMHR program performing duties to facilitate independent community living by coordinating mental health and community care. The MHSSW participates in development of a treatment plan for each ICMHR Veteran with measurable goals outlined based on relevant psychological, medical, and psychiatric information with the principles of treatment matching. The MHSSW assists ICMHR Veterans in the preparation of materials needed for applications to various agencies for entitlements, then, follows the process of the application until a determination has been made. Serves as the major consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes Veterans encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. The MHSSW collaborates with members of the ICMHR team as well as primary and specialty clinic staff in order to provide comprehensive care to ICMHR Veterans. The MHSSW identifies, develops and facilitates accessibility and utilization of VA and community resources to meet the needs of ICMHR Veterans. The MHSSW conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues. The MHSSW serves as therapist in treatment groups, individual psychotherapy, and family therapy as needed. The MHSSW assesses the ICMHR Veterans' learning needs regarding their substance abuse, psychiatric and medical disorders, and the treatments and medications required incorporating teaching in the treatment. The MHSSW provides assistance with medication management for ICMHR patients within the scope of practice (i.e. helping Veteran obtain Rx refills). The MHSSW conducts home visits and community visits to ICMHR patients to maintain and encourage community living. The MHSSW collaborates with adult residential care facilities where ICMHR patients reside to facilitate community living in the least restrictive environment and to provide support services for the facilities. The MHSSW prepares and submits legal documentation for the petition of various legal orders such as guardianship, conservatorship, protective orders, commitment, and alternative treatment orders. The MHSSW provides expert testimony in court settings as needed. The MHSSW provides direct teaching services to staff and others as appropriate. The MHSSW must be responsible to stay abreast of current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals, attending conferences, clinic seminars and teleconferences, and materials given out by staff and Psychiatry Service Work Schedule: 0730-1600 Monday-Friday Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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. 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. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve lifting, walking, standing, use of both eyes, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades, hearing aid (permitted). The environmental factors of this position involve being able to work outside and/or inside, to work with others, and to work alone. 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, In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 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. 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. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, *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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185.

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 San Diego VA Medical Center 3350 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92161 US
• Name: Randy Clark
• Phone: 515-868-4391
• Email: [email protected]