Senior Social Worker Mental Health

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

The Successful Applicant

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Noncitizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Education. A masters 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 masters 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/Certification: Candidate 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). Drivers License: A current valid stateissued Drivers License is required 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 stateissued Drivers License. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidates qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Senior Social Worker GS12 Experience: Applicants 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 GS11 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 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. Qualifying GS11 Social Worker grade level equivalent experience includes but are not limited to: assesses and documents identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse neglect exploitation and/or intimate partner violence uses of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain patients privacy and confidentiality per policies handbooks or directives and acts as an advocate with appropriate organization and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members identifies the patients strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity collaborates with the patients family/caregiver and interdisciplinary treatment team the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services identifies family/caregiver stressors conducts assessment and provides specific interventions provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of patents including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice links the patients with services resources and opportunities in order to maximize the patients independence health and wellbeing provides a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual group and/or family counseling or psychotherapy independently formulates and implements a treatment plan including measurable achievable goals identifying the Veterans needs strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity. Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the basic requirements stated 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. Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level the higherlevel duties must consist of significant scope complexity (difficulty) and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25 of the time. At the GS12 grade level supervisory social workers typically have significant personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate sized professional and nonprofessional staff including support staff and professional staff at the GS12 grade level and below. The supervisory social worker is responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service in a care/product line or multiple facilities. They provide direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities. Preferred Experience: Two years of experience providing individual and group therapy using evidenced based modalities to treat depression and anxiety. Two years of experience providing assessment and mental health diagnosing. Two years of experience working on a multidisciplinary team. Two years of experience conducting suicide risk screens assessments and safety plans. References: VA Regulations specifically VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. This vacancy is above the full performance at the GS12 level. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS12 level. Physical Requirements: Involves sitting walking and standing bending and carrying such items as books papers and files.

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.