Job opening: Social Worker - Outpatient Mental Health Clinic
Salary: $85 198 - 110 755 per year
Published at: Feb 13 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
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
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf
Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf
This Social Worker is assigned to the Mental Health Service (MHS) Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (MHC) at VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS).
Provides a full range of services within the Social Work scope of practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level, and preferences for care.
Services may include but are not limited to the following: provision of evidenced based treatments; case management; individual, family, and group therapy; discharge planning; resource linkage; and care coordination.
Provides mental health and psychosocial assessment and diagnostic services for Veterans with a broad range of mental health issues, including services for patients with a myriad of mental health and psychosocial needs requiring diagnostic and intervention skills.
Provides education to patients and family members regarding mental health disorders and best practice approaches to treatment.
Provides consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources, Advance Care Planning, VA benefits, budgeting, activities of daily living, and recovery goals.
Provides evidenced based psychotherapeutic interventions as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker, which may include individual, family and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation.
Provides consultation to health care providers about assessment findings and treatment plan for patients to ensure that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the Medical Center.
Develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the social worker.
Provides specialized assessment and treatment (individual therapy, group therapy, and psychoeducation) for Veterans. Consults with other disciplines and clinics regarding specialized services.
Coordinates community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, and community agencies.
Develops working relationships with the community and VA providers to whom referrals are most often made and becomes knowledgeable with what community and VA resources are available to Veterans. Refers Veterans to a wide variety of VA and community resources.
Maintains accurate records of trainings in accordance with VA policies and state licensure requirements.
Evaluates own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, and other means.
Completes all mandatory VA trainings in a timely manner.
Assists supervisor and/or program director in the design, development, and implementation of programming.
Adheres to all facility and service line policies and practices for delivery of clinical care, including but not limited to risk assessment, means reduction, professional conduct requirements, and electronic medical record conventions.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am - 4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact
[email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
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 SW Licensure Summary by State.
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 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:
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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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.
Preferred Experience: Experience in Therapy in a Mental Health Setting
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 II-G39-1 APPENDIX G39. SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11
Physical Requirements: Sitting for long periods of time,Working closely with others, Working alone
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 VA Puget Sound Health Care System
1660 South Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98108
US
- Name: Delilah Black
- Phone: 215-823-5800 X6491
- Email: [email protected]
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