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 This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 01/12/2024. Additional applications will be referred as needed. The Harm Reduction Coordinator is a Social Worker position located within the El Paso Veterans Healthcare System (EPVHS) Behavioral Health Services (BHS) substance use disorder (SUD) Program at the El Paso South Central campus. The EPVHS BH SUD Program provides a full range of outpatient SUD services through VA, community, and Virtual access including ambulatory detoxification services through Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), various outpatient SUD services and an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP & VIOP). The SUD Program serves Veterans in various stages of readiness and recovery who frequently have mental health co-morbidities and exhibit difficulty coping with psychosocial problems including frequent crises and lack of social support systems. The Harm Reduction Coordinator (HRC) Social Worker is responsible for providing leadership, direction, organization, planning, implementation, and evaluation of harm reduction efforts at the EPVHS, including but not limited to overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) and fentanyl test strip distribution initiatives. This individual has in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in harm reduction, OEND, SSP, and fentanyl test strip program implementation. The HRC Social Worker will function at the highest level of clinical practice and licensure. The HRC Social Worker will participate in quality improvement, process improvement, and/or research activities. The Senior Social Worker is responsible for: Ensuring that harm reduction services include offers of linkage to treatment. Developing a facility fentanyl test strip distribution system. Consulting with Offices of Chief Counsel to determine if any SSP services/supplies are legally prohibited. Identifying community SSP referral options for Veterans who decline or are unable to receive VA SSP services. Identifying sources to obtain harm reduction supplies. Serving as a local point of contact to educate Veterans and staff about the SSP. Collaborating with the national VA HIV/SSP Affinity Group to develop new SSP resources, including veteran and staff education resources, standardized harm reduction kits, and a standardized note template. Collaborating with local and national community harm reduction organizations for program improvement. Evaluating outcomes, implementation strategies, and lessons learned for further program improvement. Sharing results with the HIV Affinity Group for nationwide dissemination. Using dashboards to identify harm reduction opportunities. Outreach to Veterans about HIV Prep Partnering with key facility services, such as HUD-VASH, Infectious Disease Clinic, Addiction Recovery Treatment Services, Mental Health Service, Pharmacy Service, Nursing Service, and Logistics Service. Supporting implementation of low barrier buprenorphine initiation and infectious disease testing. Working with local colleagues to improve sexual and drug use history taking and linkage to appropriate harm reduction services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the EDRP Coordinator at [email protected] 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. 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/. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). May meet this requirement through the Grandfathering Provision Preferred Experience: GS-12 Experience with Veteran/Military population 2 years practicing evidence-based treatment for multiple mental health diagnosis to include specialized substance abuse disorders Clinical proficiencies and suicide risk assessment Experience and knowledge of harm reduction for substance abuse and clinical and community settings demonstrated experience working independently, conducting program evaluations and implementing measurement- based care Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade level. Senior Social Worker, GS-12 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. Individuals assigned Senior Social Worker must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated 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 Physical Requirements: There are no set physical requirements for this position. Use of eyes, hands, walking/standing and hearing may be needed to perform some functions. Mental, emotional, and cognitive stability are required. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39, September 10, 2019 The grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

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.

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 the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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.

Contacts

• Address El Paso VA Clinic 5001 North Piedras Street El Paso, TX 79930 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]