Senior Social Worker (HUD-VASH, SUD)

Veterans Health Administration • Reno, NV

9d

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker provides specialized social work services to Veterans in the HUD-VASH program, with a focus on substance use disorder (SUD). The role conducts psychosocial assessments, develops and coordinates treatment and referrals, provides counseling and case management, and supports recovery-oriented services intended to help Veterans live independently in the community at their highest possible level of functioning and quality of life. The position works as part of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams and partners with community agencies and other programs serving homeless Veterans.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program eligibility and approval. Applicants must submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approved award amounts may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years; former EDRP participants are ineligible. The position is eligible for ad hoc telework under agency policy. The work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master’s degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s level, subject to applicable grandfathering provisions.
• Advanced-practice state licensure or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless covered by the stated state grandfathering exception; must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• At least two years of experience after advanced-practice clinical licensure in a specialized area of social work practice, including one year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Demonstrated advanced-practice skills and judgment in a specialized area of social work.
• Demonstrated 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 into differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge of developing and implementing methods to measure social work service effectiveness and use outcome evaluations to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and to model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Current state-issued driver’s license.
• U.S. citizenship, except where VA policy permits appointment of non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Must meet applicable pre-employment screening, background/security investigation, onboarding, identification, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements; applicants tentatively selected for testing-designated positions are subject to urinalysis.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the conditions described in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• Certification or post-master’s training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university in a specialty area, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.
• Current VHA employees in this occupation may qualify under the applicable grandfathering provision if they meet its criteria.

Responsibilities

• Conduct psychosocial assessments with Veterans from diverse backgrounds, documenting symptoms or behaviors related to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or intimate partner violence, along with strengths, limitations, coping skills, supports, and service needs.
• Develop assessments in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, Veterans, available family members, friends or caregivers, and collateral sources, using appropriate releases of information.
• Identify family and caregiver stressors and provide specific interventions.
• Complete assessments within time frames established by program and Social Work Service policy and accreditation requirements.
• Determine Veterans’ needs, make appropriate referrals to community and governmental agencies, and coordinate those services to ensure needs are met.
• Provide specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems, including individual, group, and family counseling.
• Provide differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical scope of practice.
• Organize and conduct individual and group case management and SUD treatment, including early interventions and supportive follow-up through home visits and facility-based contacts.
• Provide SUD support to the HUD-VASH team through consultation, interventions, and, when indicated, accompanying case managers on home visits.
• Serve on a multidisciplinary homeless program treatment team.
• Develop and maintain partnerships and regular communication with community agencies, especially those serving homeless Veterans and Veterans with SUD.
• Provide liaison services with programs referring homeless Veterans to HUD-VASH to support continuity of care and successful transitions.
• Provide consultation to HUD-VASH as needed and participate in policy making, goal setting, and treatment-service planning with HUD-VASH and Homeless Programs colleagues.
• Collect and review statistical data to improve performance and service delivery to homeless Veterans.
• Provide recovery-oriented treatment aimed at establishing Veterans independently in the community at their highest level of functioning and quality of life.
• Develop and implement methods for measuring the effectiveness of SUD services in HUD-VASH, using outcome evaluations to improve treatment and design system changes.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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