BHIP Senior Social Worker provides services to the veteran population with specialty treatment program areas such as a Polytrauma, Spinal Cord Injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, BHIP or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity at TVHS /Nashville VA Medical Center. The Senior Social Worker can be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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 GS-12: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. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39 dated 09/10/2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The BHIP Social Worker position is responsible for specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness. The BHIP Social Worker incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Duties includes but not limited to: Provide advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with polytrauma injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairment, post-traumatic stress disorder, addictions, and other serious disorders. The BHIP Social Worker is expected to have experience and certification in evidenced based psychotherapies or the skills and abilities to learn advanced evidenced based psychotherapies including, but not limited to the following: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure therapy, Couples/Family Therapy, Group Therapy, and/or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Offer 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. Monitor the efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, quality of services offered within the program area. The incumbent reviews relevant data, assesses the data, develops, and implement ideas for improvement. Recognize as the leader in the delivery of social work care to most complex care needs, therefore the incumbent will serve as champion for discharge planning and psychosocial needs. The incumbent ensures that social work practice is evidence-based and in keeping with recognized social work treatment methods. Provide consultation and technical assistance and mentoring to a group of employees performing work at various GS levels, particularly those at the entry level. The incumbent is viewed as the senior clinician with advanced practice skills and expertise. Continuous learner that evaluates his/her practice as a senior social worker on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer practice, self-study or other organized means. Is active in and accepts responsibility for the development and maintenance of professional standards of treatment and practice. Provide assessments and referral services to community agencies, ensures that staff is resourceful and has up to date knowledge regarding community and VA resources. BHIP Social Worker will perform other related duties as assigned. Tele-Mental health will be used as appropriate based on patient needs; all clinicians will be trained in the provision of tele-mental health services and expected to provide this modality of care. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Available/ 2 days per week Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
