Senior Social Worker

Summary

This position is located at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center - in support of the Social Work service. The employee is a core member of the interdisciplinary Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) treatment team which is a specialized program under the administration of Primary Care. The Senior Social Worker provides expert level psychosocial interventions and case management services to Veterans with complex medical - social and behavioral conditions in which routine clinic based care is not effective.

Qualifications

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
• 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Grandfathering Provision
• 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)
• 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
• Ohio requires LISW
• Exception
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• For appointments at the GS-9 grade level - VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• 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: GS12 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: 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 12
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve active listening - reading - observing and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior - walking - speaking - writing reports - writing policies and procedures - writing clinical notes - using office equipment such as computers - telephones - fax machines - photocopy machines - and driving throughout the VISN
• The incumbent must possess a valid driver's license.

Duties

• The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati - OH and Fort Thomas - KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH - Northern Kentucky - and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue - KY
• Florence - KY
• Lawrenceburg - IN
• Hamilton - OH
• Clermont County - OH - and Georgetown - OH
• The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: Provides a comprehensive psychosocial assessment and integrates it into an overall plan of care in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Veteran - family members and significant others - whenever possible
• Possesses the advanced practice skills to independently make a psychosocial diagnosis and offer psychosocial interventions - and then measures outcomes to interventions
• Designs systems changes based on observations - data and experience
• Participates and can lead weekly interdisciplinary care planning meetings when asked by the HBPC program director
• Coordinates community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community agency programs
• Addresses the unique needs of homebound - frail - disabling/chronic and/or dying Veterans
• Facilitates and prioritizes referrals based upon Veterans needs and eligibility
• Identifies and prioritizes high-risk patients and provides case management services
• Provides education related to VA and community resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs
• Provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan
• Identifies and prioritizes high-risk patients and provides case management services
• Provides crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint - coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families
• Possess advanced knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals - families and groups
• Utilizes advanced practice skills - professional judgment and expertise regarding the Veteran's self care capability - family support system - and the Veteran's health care needs and possible consequences
• Provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan
• Evaluates own practice through professional peer review - case conferences and other organizational means
• Communicates effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds
• Provides the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling utilizing the advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities
• Establishes and maintain positive working relationships with employees - volunteers - consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday
• 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: AD HOC - per agency policy discretion
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement # 91268-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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