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This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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. 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. 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. 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, this part. 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: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 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. 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. 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 Part II Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary, although the stress involved in dealing continually with persons in emotional distress and who may be uncooperative makes this work notably more demanding than most sedentary jobs. ["Incumbent is assigned to the Mental Health Service, Addiction Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) Program and functions as a part of an outpatient addiction interdisciplinary team. Services are carried out in full accordance with specific program goals and broad objectives of the VA health care system. The purpose of this position is to expand access to addiction treatment in settings outside of addiction specialty care. As such, the position is embedded within Acute Care Settings including the Emergency Department (ED) and the Behavioral Health Intensive Care Unit (BHICU). The incumbent will act as a liaison between addiction specialty care and Acute Care services. Responsibilities are focused on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). The incumbent employs a full range of psychosocial treatment modalities with individuals, couples, and families to enhance motivation for treatment. Services will generally be provided in the ED/BHICU, outpatient clinic, and under certain circumstances, via telehealth. A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified individuals. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Serves as primary liaison between Acute Care included ED/BHICU and ARTS staff on referrals and transitions of care. Independently provides Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) appropriate to the ED setting. Conducts biopsychosocial assessments and uses DSM-5-TR to make clinical psychiatric diagnoses. Provides a range of advanced interventions consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on brief and evidenced-based interventions for addiction found to be effective in acute care settings. Facilitates patient and family education appropriate to the acute care setting and the presenting addiction concern with a significant emphasis on a prevention-oriented model of care and harm reduction. Provides clinical care management when appropriate directly to an assigned cohort of patients. Participates in development of a treatment plan for each patient with whom major contact is expected, with measurable goals outlined, based on relevant psychological, medical and psychiatric information and principles of treatment matching. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Assist patients in the preparation of materials needed for applications to various agencies for entitlements. Serve as the clinical consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes patients encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. Ensures timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Telework: Telework, if approved, would be on a regularly scheduled basis, but this is not a virtual or remote position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified individuals. EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This is an open continuous announcement with applicants being referred to the hiring manager every three weeks until the position is filled."]

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