Senior Social Worker (PCMHI) - EDRP Approved, Rec/Relo Incentive may be offered.

Veterans Health Administration • McAllen, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. The Senior Social Worker Practices in the major program area of Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI). The senior social worker is assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. The Senior Social Worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. The Senior Social Worker utilizes 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. They incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. They develop and implement 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. They 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. They expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents ).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• You must possess 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.
• Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.
• You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• 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).
• You 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 must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Advanced practice levelsocial workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which includes 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.
• All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB . Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/.
• You must possess 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.
• Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment.
• 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.
• Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.

Nice To Haves

• Licensed within discipline
• Experience providing individual and group psychotherapy for a wide array of Diagnoses
• Experience as a therapist in the VA
• Experience in PCMHI and/or primary care setting

Responsibilities

• Utilizes 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
• Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Develops and implements 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.
• Provides 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.
• Expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
• May be selected by the Chief of Psychology to serve as the psychology service representative on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, or VISN administrative committees or work groups.
• May coordinate programming within both various mental health and primary care programs in coordination with managers of such programs as well as with discipline supervisors of affected staff assigned to these programs.
• May be involved in research activities, especially as related to program evaluation responsibilities.
• May serve as a clinical supervisor for employees in lower grades.
• Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including the use of psychological testing for patients within VATVCBHCS in areas of specific interest and within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate.
• Performs psychological evaluations for individual with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate.
• Provides a range of psychological therapeutic interventions, including group and individual formats, with individuals with mental health and medical disorders utilizing empirically supported modalities when indicated, within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate.
• Consults with and serves as resource for other professional personnel concerning the needs for, evaluation of, and development of psychological services in VATVCBHCS, within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate.
• May be asked to serve as a clinical supervisor for unlicensed social worker interns.
• May be asked to prepare and teach seminars/workshops for VATVCBHCS trainees/staff on topics within interest/competency areas.
• May choose to conduct approved psychological research that supports the mission of VATVCBHCS alone in collaboration with other professional in VATVCBHCS or affiliated academic institutions.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience
• 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.
• Child Care Subsidy
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting)
• Federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior