Senior Social Worker Mhicm

We're Looking for a skilled Senior Social Worker Mhicm in the Veterans Health Administration based in Augusta, Georgia. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Noncitizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Have a masters degree in social work (MSW) 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to the CSWE website (www.cswe.org) to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters 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. Preferred Experience: Knowledge and experience in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses disabilities and treatment procedures i.e. evidence based practice. Demonstrate an ability to conduct performance improvement efforts based on systems engineering principles such as Lean and Six Sigma Transformational Coaching etc. Have a valid state drivers license. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates Senior Social Worker GS12 Experience Education and Licensure. Senior Social Workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. At least two years should be in an area of specialized social work practice. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an ASWB advanced generalist or clinical examination. Senior social workers may have certification or other postmasters 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 (see paragraph 3a(c)). Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (b) below. 1. Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority for services and provide specialized treatment services. 2. Advanced and expert 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 interventions used in the treatment of veterans with polytraumatic injuries spinal cord injuries traumatic brain injuries visual impairment posttraumatic stress disorder etc. 3. Advanced knowledge and expert skill 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. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on empirical findings. 4. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications. 5. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs. Ability to write policies procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program. Assignments. Senior Social Workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior Social Workers typically practice in a major specialty treatment program area such as a Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center or a national VHA referral center such as a national Center for PostTraumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The Senior Social Worker is assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. They are also assigned in settings where they have no access to social work supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. They may be assigned to work with special patient populations with highlycomplex health or mental health problems requiring expert level psychosocial interventions such as VA/DOD liaisons assigned to Military Treatment Facilities as part of seamless transition or social worker case managers in Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) programs. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G39 http://vaww.va.gov/ohrm/DirectivesHandbooks/Documents/5005.pdf Physical Requirements: Extended periods of standing bending and carrying light items such as books medical records and paper is required. Walking long distance throughout the medical center on units and between divisions is required. Conducting patient encounters in a community setting or in the patients home environment may be required. Position often places the incumbent in a position of stress. Due to the nature of the work the incumbent may come in contact with Veteran patients who are confused intoxicated or have a contagious condition. Ability to drive a car and have a valid state license is required. Exposure to dangerous situations in the community from traffic accidents to crime is also possible.

What’s on Offer

The role offers excellent opportunities for top performers to further develop their competencies as a social worker and improving the lives of people.