The Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Network is recruiting for a Senior Social Worker for the Trauma Recovery Services (TRS) at Sepulveda VA Medical Center. This position provides a full range of services including psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses using the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care to patients diagnosed with a variety of mental disorders and psychosocial needs.

Duties

The major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Provides services to patients with highly complex health or mental health problems, and is assigned administrative responsibilities for clinical program development. Evaluates the Veteran's needs based on psychosocial assessment and diagnostic impression, using advanced practice skills to formulate appropriate interventions. Provides individual, group, couples, and family psychotherapy, evidence-based treatments, and advanced level case management interventions. Conducts appropriate assessment as necessary which include; Suicide Risk Assessment, Violence Risk Assessment and Mental Health Initial Assessment. Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Performs specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness, and is able to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referrals. Provides consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas. Evaluates own practice through professional peer review, case conferences, and other organizational means. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Telework: Yes Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Education: Must have a master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker GS-0185-12 Experience: 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 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. 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 and Expertise: Knowledge, recent experience, and expertise working with Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Military Sexual Trauma (PTSD/MST) Experience/training in one of the following treatments for PTSD: Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Written Exposure Therapy, or EMDR Knowledge of Veterans Administration and community agencies/resources Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-39 Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking; standing; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

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 Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System 11301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90073 US
• Name: Sharlene Harrigan
• Email: [email protected]