The social worker coordinator practices in the emergency department to provide psychiatric emergency services as a licensed mental health provider. The Social Worker also provides social work services in the emergency department setting for veterans and at times, humanitarians. The Social Worker is required to work nontraditional shifts which could include weekends and holidays as required.

Duties

VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0wTotal-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 Major duties may include, but not limited to: The incumbent covers social work needs for Veterans admitted to the medical acute care/critical care and inpatient mental health units during the evening and weekend hours. Coverage includes completing social work psychosocial assessments and offering assistance with any emergent issues that arise after hours. The incumbent serves a patient population with highly complex medical and mental health issues. The Senior Social Worker is assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. As a Program Coordinator, the incumbent has experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment and at least two years in an area of specialized social work practice. The incumbent must be licensed at the advanced practice level. The incumbent requires specialized knowledge of psychiatric emergency diagnosis, intervention, and treatment. She/He must also be skilled in the areas of post-traumatic stress disorder, interpersonal violence, sexual assault, child, elder, and dependent abuse, substance abuse, grief and bereavement, and end of life issues. The advanced practice Social Worker demonstrates an ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, provide consultation and guidance to colleagues, role model effective social work practice skills, teach or provide orientation to less experienced Social Workers, develop innovations in practice interventions, and provide clinical supervision for social work licensure or certification. The incumbent performs specialized treatment of complex physical and mental illness for patients in the emergency department with psychiatric emergencies. Services are primarily provided in the emergency department with very little supervisory control. The incumbent is typically the only Social Worker on duty after normal business hours, during weekends and on holidays.. He/She must demonstrate significantly advanced clinical skills and be able to function independently. The number of patients served is considerable. The incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Specific tasks may include: evaluation, DSM diagnosis, and intervention for psychiatric emergencies in the emergency department; psychosocial assessment, treatment planning, and coordination of care for patients that require inpatient mental health placement; consultation with other emergency services; and the end of life counseling. The Program Coordinator is able to provide individual, group, and family psychotherapy and advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with serious medical and psychiatric disorders. The Social Worker provides services that access the continuum of care. The Social Worker provides services on an outpatient basis. The Program Coordinator develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the emergency psychiatric care and crisis intervention specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. The incumbent is able to demonstrate the ability to design changes based on empirical findings. The Program Coordinator offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The incumbent demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. The Program Coordinator performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Week 1: Thursday 06:30-0700, Friday 06:30-15:00, Saturday 06:30-19:00 Week 2: Wednesday 06:30-19:00, Thursday 06:30-19:00, Friday 06:30-19:00, Saturday 06:30-19:00. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 544-54279 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). 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). 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 (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Experience and Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Preferred Experience: Previous experience in working in emergency department is preferred. Mental Health experience would be ideal. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 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-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Columbia VA Health Care System 6439 Garners Ferry Road Columbia, SC 29209 US
• Name: Tamera Pryor
• Phone: 205-454-2575
• Email: [email protected]