---

Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Senior Social Worker-Mental Health Intensive Case Management Near Jackson, MS

Qualifications:

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 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/.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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.

Preferred Experience: N/A

References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Responsibilities:

The clinical and program activities assumed under this position are conducted as part of the Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM). The goal of MHICM is to develop, implement, and assess the benefit of a behaviorally oriented program of psychosocial rehabilitation, intensive case management, and community-based treatment for chronic mentally ill veterans living in rural areas.

The duties of the Senior Social Worker-Primary Care Mental Health Integration include but are not limited to:

• Provide intensive case management services to assigned veterans and significant others, consistent with the goals and methods of MHICM and the VA Mental Health Initiative and with all relevant Medical Center policies and procedures. Intensive case management services are characterized by assertive outreach, individualized treatment planning, multidimensional orientation, and intensive delivery of services. Frequent, direct contacts with patients to provide therapy and support. Frequency of contacts is increased in times of crisis. Flexibility of veteran contact (veterans are seen in any location and with any MHICM team clinician who can provide assistance). These visits can be face to face, phone, or VVC (VA Video Connect). A focus on strengthening the patient's ability to address acute and chronic problems. Use of naturalistic community settings for teaching and modeling problem- solving skills. Provision of continuity of care within the framework established by MHICM. For example, collaborates and consults with other interdisciplinary treatment teams and programs to promote and enhance the care of patients. Provide outreach and assertive provision of services to treatment resistant patients. Mobilization of environmental and organizational supports, including family members, professional, and other interested parties. For example, undertakes individual, family and group therapies as well as educational programs for veterans, families and staff. Also responsible for linking patients to other VA programs and to community resources.
• Participate in team staffing regarding patient selection, determination of treatment plans and goals, progress evaluation, discharge planning, and after care.
• Work assertively and consistently with inpatient teams to assure continuity of care by providing consultation regarding clinical needs, treatment plans, and case management services for assigned patients. Works assertively to promote appropriate treatment, rehabilitation, and expeditious discharge of assigned patients, consistent with program goals and with the individual treatment plans.
• Is actively involved in readmission decisions, using the procedures established for this purpose.
• Completes clinical documentation according to MHICM and Medical Center standards; this includes but is not limited to progress notes, clinical progress reports, the Treatment Planning Review Form, and the Re-hospitalization Review Form. S (he) will be responsible for completion of required clinical records as well as MHICM forms for evaluation and monitoring of service delivery and outcome for the MHICM forms for evaluating and monitoring of service delivery and outcome for the MHICM Unit Manager, Outpatient Clinic and staff at Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC).
• Work with other clinical programs and product lines that share in the care of assigned MHICM patients, including but not limited to each product line and Rehabilitation Care Program. In pursuit of programmatic and treatment goals, maintain effective working relationships and other professional and administrative personnel both within the Medical Center and in the community.
• Provide documentation of patient care as prescribed by the MHICM and Medical Center Directives. Also document any problem areas concerning implementation of the program and own activities within the programs and making suggestions for resolving any such problems consistent with MHICM and Medical Center policies and procedures.
• Meet with VA, community, and professional organizations and individuals as needed to carry out assigned developmental and implementation responsibilities. This includes but is not limited to representing the program by screening veteran for participation in any aspects of the program.

Work Schedule: M-F, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
.Functional Statement #: 00444F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Carol Thompson at carol.thompson4@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary