Senior Social Worker (BHIP/Psychotherapist)

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Senior Social Worker (BHIP/Psychotherapist)

Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

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Details

Posted: 23-May-26

Location: Tucson, Arizona

Categories

Mental Health/Social Services

Internal Number: 870461400

Summary

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. Program 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.

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 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)
• 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: 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience providing time-limited evidence-based psychotherapy - diagnosing mental health disorders - and working with Veteran and/or military populations
• References: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standards - GS-185 - Veterans Health Administration
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required - as is performing activities involving sitting - walking - and standing - bending and carrying such items as books - papers - and files
• In carrying out responsibilities - it may be necessary to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans - their families - representative of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies
• Must possess current driver's license and be able to drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary.
  
  

Duties

• The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program Team (BHIP) is a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals and administrative staff that provide comprehensive accessible patient centered mental health care in partnership with the Veteran and the Veteran's significant other and/or family
• The team manages - coordinates - and provides Veteran-centered - recovery-oriented - and evidence-based care that is consistent with the Veteran's identified treatment goals
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: The incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - identify level of functioning - degree of impairment in occupational - social - academic - interpersonal and family
• Perform mental status exams (MSE)
• Identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions
• Possess knowledge of the criteria and state laws for legal commitment and involuntary hospitalizations
• Ability to assess and intervene with patients of suspected abuse
• Provide evidence-based psychotherapy for individuals - families and groups
• Complete treatment plans using Mental Health Suites or as otherwise VA specified on all assigned patients
• Possesses working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures in working with diverse populations and circumstances
• This includes acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - psychiatric - medical and social problems - common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology
• The candidate must determine the presenting problem - determine in-home factors impacting the problem - and determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments
• Social work coordination with members of the treatment team is required - to ensure a collaborative effort to meet the treatment goals for a Veteran
• Responsible for monitoring high-risk patients on their team
• Works in collaboration with the Suicide prevention team and the Local Recovery Coordinator and will be well versed in suicide prevention SOPs
• Performs advanced level management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with poly-trauma injuries - spinal cord injuries - traumatic brain injuries - visual impairment - post-traumatic stress disorder - addictions - and serious mental illness
• Facilitate completion of advanced directives and psychiatric advanced directives with Veterans and their families
• Maintain familiarity with and support all VA performance measures that pertain to their practice
• Provides for Documentation per the SAVAHCS policies
• Documentation of staff interventions and activities in patients' clinical record {CPRS) and ensures appropriate hand off using SBAR when transferring patients care
• Document all contacts with patients/families in the medical charts per policy
• Completes all clinical reminders per policy
• Completes consults management per policy
• Completes statistical and other reports in accordance with the SAVAHCS and respective professional discipline service policies
• Collaborates with SAVAHCS multi-disciplinary teams and participates in committee assignments as requested by supervisor
• Collaborates with community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services for Veterans
• Responsible for supporting the mission - policies - and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs - the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and the Southern VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS)
• Willing to modify their tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on evenings and weekends
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m
• to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• work schedule - but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance
• Learn more Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: May be eligible for part-time telework as determined by the agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
  
  

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About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

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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