The Senior Social worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing appropriate referrals when PC/MHI based services are assessed to be inappropriate or brief intervention approaches are found to be inadequate after trial. The decision about referral will be collaborative and reflect consideration of the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker.

Duties

The Senior Social worker is responsible for educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing appropriate referrals when PC/MHI based services are assessed to be inappropriate or brief intervention approaches are found to be inadequate after trial. The decision about referral will be collaborative and reflect consideration of the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. The PC-MHI social worker uses population-based practice management strategies and maintains competences in the following core domains: CCC PC/MHI Clinical Practice Management. Conduct functional assessments, based on 30- minute appointments and will triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate. - Applies principals of population-based care (defines role and identifies problems rapidly). - Majority of all appointments are less than 30 minutes. - Uses brief assessments routinely (e.g., PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT C, etc.). - Initial consultation appointments are based on functional assessments and treatment focuses on functional outcomes. - Maintains daily open access slots. Documentation Skills - Writes clear concise notes, generally ½-1 page long, with explicit impression, recommendations and plan for PCP use. - Notes document curbside consultation results. - Notes are completed within 24 hours. Consultation Skills - Routinely Consults with PCPs and other PACT team members about plan of care for patients. - Conducts effective curbside consultations. - Integrates within primary care team and works closely in collaboration with PACT team. - Attends PACT meetings and daily huddles. - Routinely provides feedback (verbal and/or written) to PCP and other PACT members same day as referral. Administration - Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces, as endorsed by supervisors. - Participates in Social Work privileging, educational and peer review activities, in accord with Social Work and medical center policies. - Participates as a non- voting member of the medical staff, in accord with medical staff by-laws. - Participates in support of OBVAMC and Social Work administrative and performance improvement activities, e.g., by taking on assigned projects and serving on committees. - Completes required clinical and administrative documentation in a timely manner and in accord with governing regulations. Academic/Teaching/Training - Supervises psychology practicum students in accord with training program policies and accrediting agency requirements. - Provides staff and student didactic training and consultation as requested in content areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise. - May supervise or train allied health providers in accord with facility and regulatory standards regarding such training. Research/Program Evaluation - May participate in program evaluation and/or research activities. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 pm - 4:30 pm Telework: Available - 1-2 days per pay period Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00287-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates. 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. Social Work candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f). 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 Master 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/. 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: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience/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: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 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: Mental Health experience, References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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 Overton Brooks VA Medical Center 510 East Stoner Avenue Shreveport, LA 71101 US
• Name: Rebecca Montgomery
• Phone: (281) 536-7730
• Email: [email protected]