Senior Social Worker

Veterans Health Administration • Eglin AFB, FL

9h • Onsite

About The Position

The Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Senior Social Worker is administratively aligned with the Mental Health Service and assigned as a collocated collaborative care behavioral health consultant in Primary Care. PCMHI is part of the interdisciplinary Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The position supports coordinated behavioral health care in primary care and has a full performance level of GS-12. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., subject to change based on facility needs. Telework and virtual work are not available.

The role requires a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school and state licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's level. Senior-level qualification requires at least two years of post-advanced-practice clinical licensure experience in a specialized area, including one year equivalent to GS-11, and advanced-practice licensure or certification. The position also requires demonstrated clinical, consultation, evaluation, and practice-development abilities. The work is performed in an office clinic setting and may involve stressful situations and handling several tasks at once. Physical demands may include standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing; personal protective equipment and annual TB screening or testing may be required.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to individual eligibility and application requirements. The role includes federal employee benefits, such as paid leave and holidays, parental leave, a possible childcare subsidy for eligible employees, federal pension and 401(k), and insurance programs. Recruitment, relocation, and permanent change-of-station assistance are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• At least two years of experience after advanced-practice clinical licensure in a specialized area of social work practice, including one year equivalent to GS-11.
• Advanced-practice-level state licensure or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless covered by the stated state grandfathering provisions; must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge of developing and implementing methods to measure social work practice and service effectiveness, using outcome evaluations to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment and to role-model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and background/security investigation, complete onboarding and application requirements, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Must be able to meet the position's physical demands, which may include standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing.

Nice To Haves

• Experience completing comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments.
• Experience providing care and services in a patient's home environment.
• Experience working with an interdisciplinary team to implement interventions and treatment planning.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with primary care providers and the interdisciplinary PACT to support high-quality, effective, coordinated service delivery at the patient and programmatic levels.
• Maintain daily open-access appointment slots and encourage same-day warm handoffs within PACT.
• Complete most individual appointments, approximately 75%, within 30 minutes.
• Use Measurement Based Care in accordance with nationally recommended PCMHI guidelines.
• Conduct initial functional assessments focused on the main reasons for referral and less extensive than traditional mental health intake evaluations.
• Write clear, concise notes that support collaboration within PACT and follow PCMHI collaborative-care functional-assessment and follow-up guidelines.
• Document relevant team-collaboration elements, including Measurement Based Care, curbside consultations or team-care discussions, and liaison with specialty-care providers, as appropriate.
• Participate in PACT huddles and meetings to foster collaborative team functioning and provide behavioral health expertise.
• Educate PACT on behavioral health and health behavior issues, effective patient communication, motivational enhancement, and behavior change.
• Serve on Medical Center or Healthcare System, VISN, and/or national VA committees or task forces when endorsed by supervisors.
• Provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment and model effective social work practice.
• Develop methods to measure the effectiveness of social work practice and services, use outcome evaluations to improve treatment, and design system changes.
• Expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines related to the service delivery area.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Possible credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Education Debt Reduction Program student-loan reimbursement of up to $200,000, subject to individual eligibility, program approval, and application requirements.

What This Job Offers

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