The position serves as a clinical social worker for the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) through the Columbia VA Health Care System. In this capacity, he/she offers treatment in the form of individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessment, and also provides consultation to other members of the team. This includes active case management and care coordination, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers/agencies.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU GS-9 Job Duties: The position is aligned within the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) of the Mental Health Service Line. This provider's primary function is the delivery of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), and various other evidence-based treatment modalities that align with the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Reaction. Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnostic interview, review of available records, collateral contact when available, as well as objective, and cognitive tests when indicated. Provides/Assists with diagnoses of mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients to include a full range of psycho-diagnostic services. Provide comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Provides education to patients, family members, significant others, and community members. Provides consultation to professional staff within the WJB Dorn VAMC or CBOC and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients. Functions as a member of the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) and WJB Dorn and associated VAMC Medical Staff. The incumbent assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Successfully completed or will complete VA Sponsored competency-based training in CPT and/or PE. S/he is familiar with or will learn how to deliver CPT or PE through tele-mental health modalities. The incumbent has a high degree of motivation, skill and dedication to effectively deliver evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD. S/he can conduct PTSD screening, assessment, and diagnosis and is broadly acquainted with various clinical treatment modalities and clinical support systems. GS-11 Job Duties: The position is aligned within the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) of the Mental Health Service Line. This provider's primary function is the delivery of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), and various other evidence-based treatment modalities that align with the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Reaction. Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnostic interview, review of available records, collateral contact when available, as well as objective, and cognitive tests when indicated. Provides/Assists with diagnoses of mental disorders, particularly for complex or unusually difficult patients to include a full range of psycho-diagnostic services. Provide comprehensive, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, family, and group psychotherapy. Provides education to patients, family members, significant others, and community members. Provides consultation to professional staff within the WJB Dorn VAMC or CBOC and to community providers, concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients. Functions as a member of the Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) and WJB Dorn and associated VAMC Medical Staff. The incumbent assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical findings, patient care decisions, and documentation. Successfully completed or will complete VA Sponsored competency-based training in CPT and/or PE. S/he is familiar with or will learn how to deliver CPT or PE through tele-mental health modalities. The incumbent has a high degree of motivation, skill and dedication to effectively deliver evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD. S/he can conduct PTSD screening, assessment, and diagnosis and is broadly acquainted with various clinical treatment modalities and clinical support systems. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM Compressed/Flexible:Subject to change based on agency need Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS-9 544-52910F Functional Statement #:GS-11 544-52911 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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/. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. 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. 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: 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. 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. 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. 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. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS 0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Columbia VA Health Care System 6439 Garners Ferry Road Columbia, SC 29209 US
• Name: M. Nicole Goodbee
• Phone: 470-351-8089
• Email: [email protected]