Summary

Serving as the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) Centralized Screening Team (CST) Team Lead - is stationed at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) or within any VA Medical Facility within VISN 21. The incumbent's primary responsibilities include supporting the VISN 21 MH RRTP CST Program Coordinator with day-to-day operations and providing direct patient care.

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)
• 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)
• Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protection
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
• 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
• References: VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 - Veterans Health Administration - dated September 10 - 2019
• Driver's License: Candidate must have a current state issued driver's license
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service

Duties

• Major duties include but not limited to: Assigned to provide complex and multiple services to individuals and families with a variety of social - emotional and health related problems
• Follows up with referral sources to obtain additional or more detailed information for decision-making purposes
• Demonstrates an understanding of mental illness including but not limited to: Schizophrenia - Bipolar Disorder - Depressive Disorders - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - and frequently occurring co-morbid substance-related disorders
• Independently 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
• Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (Veterans - their representatives - visitors - and all VA staff) in a courteous - tactful - and respectful manner
• Essential functions include - but are not limited to - the following: Provides consult management for all MH RRTP referrals - conducts MH screenings - and coordinates referrals to appropriate services for Veterans seeking treatment in an MH RRTP
• Completes suicide risk screenings and evaluations - as indicated
• Engages in safety planning when warranted
• Collaborates with VA MH RRTP programs to identify and schedule admission dates for Veteran entering care
• Reviews residential care coordination across multiple VISN 21 sites of care - ensuring streamlined communications are effective to addressing Veteran's needs
• Collaborates with Veterans Transportation Service to reduce barriers
• Conducts evaluations and consultation of specific features of VISN Centralized Screening
• Develops and maintains a collaborative relationship with mental health stakeholders (i.e
• DoD - Community partners) to ensure timely admissions and efficient care coordination occurs
• Utilizes local and national databases to track and complete electronic consults and manage admissions and program census
• Applies mental health theories and techniques to the full range of patient populations
• Participates in VISN-level performance improvement activities utilizing outcome evaluations to improve access to care as it relates to the care for Veterans
• Has comprehensive knowledge regarding MH RRTP services - with awareness of all prospective significant federal - state - and local initiatives that impact Veterans seeking RRTP care
• Assists with the development and review of MH RRTP policies and practice guidelines as it pertains to MH RRTP CST service delivery
• Serves as the Point of Contact for local service recovery for Patient Advocate complaints
• Provides consultation services to new social workers - social work graduate students - and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment
• Provides clinical supervision to Social Work employees seeking advanced practice licensure and MSW health professional trainees (HPT)
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday - (Although assigned tour and hours may be subject to change based on the needs of the Centralized Screening Team.) Virtual: This is a virtual position if placed in a location outside of Reno - NV
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not required