Thank you for your interest in our Social Worker (SW) or a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (LPMHC). The Social Worker (SW) works within the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Outpatient position is located at the Madison VA Medical Center in Madison, WI. The Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program consists of an intensive outpatient program, medication management, individual and group outpatient services, and at times inpatient consultation.

Duties

VISN 12 is committed to fostering and sustaining an environment which celebrates diversity, provides equitable opportunities for employment and promotion, and supports inclusiveness in our culture. Together, we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that promote professional growth and teamwork, and are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We embrace our differences as individuals and unite as a team toward a common goal: to serve our nation's Veterans. This Social Worker - Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Outpatient position is located within the interdisciplinary Addictive Disorders Treatment Program (ADTP) at the Wm. S. Middleton VA Medical Center in Madison, WI. The Clinical Social Worker provides treatment services to Veterans that have a wide range of mental health care challenges including acute and chronic psychiatric conditions, substance abuse disorders, homelessness, and other behavioral health problems. The incumbent is a member of an interdisciplinary team and is responsible for active participation in interdisciplinary and evidenced based treatments and treatment centered care planning. The incumbent possesses a high level of knowledge about mental health and substance use disorders. Major Duties: Conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial interventions/treatments with supervision to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture. Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs. Incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to implement evidence based treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families and groups. Assess psychiatric conditions according to the DSM-5. Incumbent performs mental health diagnostic interviews with patients referred to specialty substance use disorder clinics. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team within established time frames. Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measure outcomes of interventions. Complete inpatient consults on medical and psychiatric units within the hospital. Provide timely screening of new patient consults from outside of ADTP/MH through a broad range of clinical social work services. Complete Same Day Access Policy initial assessments; assessing treatment need; coordinating intake scheduling; collaborate with Front Door SW Triage and RNs as needed; ensure completion of ED consults per protocol. Assess Veterans who present with psychiatric and psychosocial emergencies. Identify high-risk patients and provide case management services in compliance with the Uniform Services Handbook and VA Suicide Prevention protocols. Provide crisis intervention services, including timely and appropriate interventions to prevent harm to self or others, as well as coordination of family involvement when indicated. Consults with supervisor, psychiatrist, Suicide Prevention Coordinators and/or other team members when moderate or high risk of harm is identified. Completes suicide prevention documentation in accordance with established guidelines. Assess for Military Sexual Trauma and link Veteran's to clinically indicated care. Coordinate community-based services, including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs and community agency programs. Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. Incumbent can independently work with Veterans and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems utilizing individual, group and family counseling and therapy skills. Be able to provide interventions and duties through a variety of modalities to include: face to face visits, telephone, and video modalities. Hold an understanding of cultural, age and gender diversity and adapts practice accordingly. Provide consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan. Ability to evaluate incumbents' own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means. Incumbent can communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm with required participation in a rotation of an 11:00-7:30 tour that is identified by the supervisor based on the needs of the clinic. Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 15 days of the closing date of this announcement, 03/11/2024. Applicants pending the completion of 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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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. 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. 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. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. Grade Determinations:GS-9 - Entry Level Social Worker Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. Experience: 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. 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. GS-11 - Full Performance Social Worker 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, Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-0185, Veterans Health Administration, dated September 10, 2019. 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. Preferred Experience: SUD experience preferred 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: This position requires minimal physical exertion, light lifting (under 15 lbs), light carrying (under 15 lbs), working closely with others and working alone. The employee will use a computer to access the medical record for entry and retrieval of information. The employee will need to be able to hear conversational speech. Hearing aid permitted. The employee will be expected to move around the patient care environment.

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 William S Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital 2500 Overlook Terrace Madison, WI 53705 US
• Name: Cindra Johnson
• Phone: 6086221070
• Email: [email protected]