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

DIVERSITY/INCLUSION STATEMENT FOR MH SERVICE RECRUITMENT: The Mental Health Service of the VA North Texas Health Care System values cultural diversity across our staff and training programs. Mental Health Service leaders are deeply committed to fostering an environment that is highly sensitive to and appreciative of all aspects of diversity. Our staff represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, competencies, interests, and theoretical orientations. We believe that increased self-awareness and appreciation for other viewpoints and cultures makes our service stronger and strengthens our ability to provide the highest quality of mental health care. Duties include, but are not limited to the following: Performs specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness as it relates to mental health illness, severe mental health illness and comorbid substance use disorders. Incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved scope of practice. Has the ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs of mental health, severe mental health, substance use disorders, comorbid and homelessness. Ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services, utilizing outcome evaluations and use of evidence-based treatment modalities that are effective with Veterans who struggle with mental health illness, severe mental health illness, comorbid, substance use disorders and homelessness along with medically and psychiatrically complex conditions. Provides specialized assessments, and treatment planning, as well as mental health, severe mental health, substance use disorders and comorbid consultation, to other team members to provide interventions and strategies for engagement for difficult to engage clients. Independently conducts comprehensive assessments and develops treatment plans in collaboration with Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment team. Monitor e-consults, complete assessments, and make recommendations to the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans Team in addition to provide direct clinical care to Veterans struggling with mental health illness, severe mental health illness, substance use disorder and comorbid concerns. Develops and maintains effective partnerships with other VANTHCS mental health, severe mental health, substance abuse disorders, comorbid and homeless leadership guidelines regarding access to VA mental health programs within VISN 17, including use of VA contracted care. Routinely participates in Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans Team meetings related to Veterans enrolled in mental health programs to ensure good transitions of care for population served. Develops and provides ongoing training and in-services to multidisciplinary team members in area of expertise. Develops effective and strong relationships with community resources to ensure continuity of care and to promote successful transitions of services. Incumbent has advanced skills in community partnership building and is able to expertly represent the VANTHCS. Responsible for ensuring that VANTHCS is compliant with all regulations, policies, and procedures relevant to the population served and monitors medical center performance related to population served. Develops and maintains treatment and documentation standards that meet the expectations and requirements of Joint Commission and CARF accreditation. Performs additional and special assignments that are related to program goals, and the needs of clients, including social work coverage during staff absences and staffing shortage. Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides crisis intervention services. Completes suicide risk screens and documents assessments as required by policy. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm with one Saturday per month rotation and one evening per month rotation. Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 EDRP Authorized: Contact [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. English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education: 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. Note: 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. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for the GS-12 grade level. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Experience: 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 and 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. 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, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Case Management Assessment with Intervention Working with clients living with homelessness Supportive and Psychotherapy Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Working with clients living with Mental Health illness and Substance Abuse Disorders Reference: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualifications Standard Physical Requirements: Light Lifting (20 - 11 lbs. occasionally; 10 lbs. or less frequently); Light Carrying (20 - 11)lbs. occasionally; 10 lbs. or less frequently); Straight Pulling (up to 1 hour); Pushing (1- 2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day); Sitting (4-7 hours per day); Walking (up to 3 hours); Standing (up to 3 hours); Repeated bending (up to 1 hour); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Correctable near sited and far sited Vision; Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Accreditation Information: The master's or doctoral degree must be fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Verification of accreditation may be obtained from http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation
NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
NOTE: If your school was accredited by Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Contacts

• Address Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: Tamika Johnson
• Phone: 334-847-0958
• Email: [email protected]