Summary Women's Health Senior Social Worker provides direct services for veterans and their families. Responsible for assessment, planning, and provision of case management services to Veterans served by the PACT teams. Coordinates a variety of activities including outreach, interdisciplinary activities, psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, consultation/education to Health Care System staff and community-based service providers, and modification, and the supervision of students as assigned. Responsibilities Interviews veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health as part of a psychosocial assessment. Acts as a consultant on topics related to women's mental health to other team/staff members and take a lead clinical role in case consultation. Identifies targeted training needs specifically around gender specific mental health needs not limited to; menopause, infertility, eating disorders, postpartum. Collaborates with the Intimate Partner Violence Coordinator, Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator, Women's Health Medical Director and Women's Veteran Program Manager. Uses subjective and objective data in making clinical assessment of the veteran's needs. Uses advanced clinical training, and experience to identify viable treatment options and makes appropriate referrals for care. Serves veterans as inpatients or outpatients who often have severe crises, lack family or community supports, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. Evaluates the client's situation, including the veteran's reaction and ability to deal with it, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving the veteran and family or significant others. Assesses serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses. Makes independent professional decisions and recommendations for treatment. Finds a suitable means of treatment to help veterans and/or significant others cope with stressful situations. Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for treatment. Arrives at a reasoned conclusion as to the preferred course of agency action. Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. Concludes the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the veteran. May include long-term institutional or nursing home care or separation from family members. Decisions are based on the Primary Care Social Worker's practice skills, professional judgment and expertise regarding the veteran's self-care capability. Participates in professional peer review, case conferences, or other organized means. Provides clinical services to veterans and family members/significant others in support of the veteran's treatment. Assists and encourages veterans an significant others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluating the situation realistically, considering alternative courses of action, and arriving at plans for using resources to resolve problems. Coordinates care and services with resources and service-lines in the Sheridan VA HCS and in the community. Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Attendance of all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, Social Work staff meetings, departmental/section staff meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) is necessary. Collaborates in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VHA and for Social Work Service. This work will include referring cases for Protected Peer Review and Intensive Case Review. Attends all meetings (weekly interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, Social Work staff meetings, assigned committees, etc.) and perform other duties as required by Social Work Service and Mental Health Service Lines. Completes the continuing education hours need for maintaining Professional Licensure. Complies with the NASW Social Work Code of Ethics. Provides clinical supervision to various disciplines and levels of training, including trainees seeking licensure. Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staffs of units to which assigned. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees. Completes in a timely manner all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 59968-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Linda.Orchard@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications *This is an open continuous announcement until January 17, 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. * Basic Requirements: 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. 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. AND 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. A current, valid state issued Driver's License is requested for this position: NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License, and a clean driving record report from the DMV during the online onboarding process. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 Transmittal Sheet September 10, 2019 Physical Requirements: This position provides direct services to patients and their families through casework. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses permitted), keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. Must have a valid driver's license in a state. May be expected to operate Government Vehicle. 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/. Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (or the Act) prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from requesting applicant criminal history record information before extending a conditional or tentative offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S.C § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged non-compliance to VA at vacofairchanceact@va.gov. Applicant written complaints should include the following: - Administration name: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Office name, employee name and contact information or contractor who made contact (if known). - Date of contact. - Details regarding the job opportunity announcement applied to, and copies of any documents or other evidence related to the complaint. - Visit Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) for more information.