The Senior Social Worker is the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Specialist for Homeless Programs. This position provides SUD case management and intervention support to Veterans in the HUD VASH program in a team oriented, recovery-based program.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The (SUD) Specialist supports the HUD VASH Program by providing continuity of care between Homeless Programs through services to Veterans with SUDs as they transition from programs such as HCHV Outreach or Contract Residential Housing, Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (RRTPs), and Grant Per Diem Programs (GPO) to permanent housing through the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Program or other forms of housing in the community. The HUD-VASH Program requires continuous coordination with the community's homeless providers and coalitions as well as with other local, state, and federal agencies. The Senior Social Worker develops, coordinates and maintains theses linkages as appropriate and needed for the homeless veteran population. The Senior Social Worker provides on-going substance use case management and early treatment interventions to promote sustained stability and abstinence in homeless and at-risk Veterans receiving VA homeless services. The primary focus is on Veterans who reside in rural areas and face various psychosocial barriers to obtaining SUD treatment such as limited access and insufficient transportation. Substance use can be a contributing factor to homelessness, so providing SUD treatment support and early intervention can promote recovery, improved quality of life and successful permanent housing. Homeless Veterans are frequently also diagnosed with co-occurring mental health, physical health and social problems that require particular skill in early engagement, motivational interviewing, and crisis management. The Senior Social Worker must be able to develop appropriate professional relationships with the Veterans and meet the Veteran where he or she is ready to engage in treatment. The Senior Social Worker also will need to develop liaison relationships with more acute treatment providers/ programs, such as an Intensive Outpatient Program. The Senior Social Worker will provide appropriate group and individual case management and treatment intervention in the Veteran's home, at local VA CBOC, and possibly at Non­VA community agencies in order to increase access. Travel will be required throughout the Wilmington Catchment area which includes Delaware and Southern New Jersey. A flexible schedule is also required to participate in outreach events that occur on weekends/evenings. The location of this position has some flexibility and will be split between Kent and Sussex County Community Outpatient Based Clinics. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: ADHOC Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #:000000/Senior SW (HUDVASH (SUD Specialist) 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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. 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:GS-12 Senior Social Worker 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: 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. 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 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position is primarily sedentary, but does involve driving in areas of catchment.

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 Wilmington VA Medical Center 1601 Kirkwood Highway Wilmington, DE 19805 US
• Name: Heather Shipp
• Phone: (302) 333-6713
• Email: [email protected]