This Senior Social Worker-Substance Use Disorder position independently provides clinical psychosocial and case management services at an advanced practice level to eligible veterans and their family members. The specific objective of these services is to meet both the substance use disorder and mental health treatment needs of veterans residing in the hospital catchment area.

Duties

If you are NOT a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12253514-24-ARS The duties of the Senior Social Worker-Substance Use Disorder include, but are not limited to: Interviews Clients and Conducts Psychosocial Assessments: Interviews veterans and/or their family members/significant others to establish facts about the patient's situation, presenting problems and their causes, as well as the impact of such problems on the patient's functioning and mental health. Interprets and explains VA's treatment and benefit programs related to assistance with identified problems. Uses advanced clinical training and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options, summarizing finding in a manner that provides insights about the patient's clinical presentation essential to effective treatment planning and subsequent intervention. Demonstrates ability to work effectively with patients who tend to have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support. Diagnoses: Follows diagnostic and statistical manual of Mental Disorders criteria, independently evaluates the patient's clinical presentation, including patient current reaction and resources, and arrives at a reasoned diagnosis of patient problems and needs. Completes assessments of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, acute psychological reactions to stressors including catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses. Makes independent professional decisions and recommendations for patient and professional intervention actions based on accurate assessment of risk factors. On an inpatient/outpatient basis, provides treatment options to assist veterans and/or significant others with decisions for actions to address the comorbidity and effectively enter the recovery process. Plans Effective Treatment: Collaborates with the patient to develop psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for substance use disorder treatment interventions. Independently directs the discharge planning process for BHIP patients and recommends/initiates appropriate placement or intervention actions, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the patient. Responsible for assigned clinical social work practice both within the BHIP area and delegated as determined by supervisor to address overall Service Line social work service needs, including promotion of social work services as a key component of treatment. Makes adjustments to psychosocial treatment plans and interventions based on changing needs and response to the interventions. Implements Treatment: Provides clinical services to patients and family members/significant others in support of the patient's treatment. Provides guidance, emotional support, individual and group psychotherapy services, including counseling and other assistance. Demonstrates acceptance, interest, encouragement, and selective use of questioning, explanation, and guidance in working with veterans to help them explore their problems. Develops working relationships and agreements with other organizations and community groups having similar service relationships with the same patient population as the patient. Evaluation, Education, Supervision, Coaching, and Mentoring: Meets with patient to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals. Monitors patient's progress, maintains comprehensive documentation, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders, and shows competent discretion in decisions to adjust treatment. Makes recommendations for care and changes to interdisciplinary treatment plan. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up, and referral. Directs/coordinates clinical and psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the mental health social work services pro`vided within the BHIP clinic. 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 Work Schedule: Determined by Supervisor Telework: Authorized at Supervisor's Discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 667-00171-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. Education: The VHA Social Worker must 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: 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. 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 Determination: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-12 Experience and 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. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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 dated September 10, 2019. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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 Overton Brooks VA Medical Center 510 East Stoner Avenue Shreveport, LA 71101 US
• Name: Alan Stagg-Scalia
• Phone: (501) 231-9930
• Email: [email protected]