Senior Social Worker (BHIP)

Veterans Health Administration • Sikeston, MO

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker provides clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment services for patients receiving care through the Mental Health Behavioral Service (MHBS) line, including patients with opiate addictions. The position provides evidence-based individual, family, and group psychotherapy; educates patients and their families or significant others; and consults with facility staff and community providers about clinical findings and appropriate treatment plans. The role also develops, implements, and documents psychotherapeutic treatment plans.

Administrative duties include following treatment-team policies and procedures, coordinating care with other health programs, meeting national and local performance measures, completing clinical reminders and timely documentation in CPRS, and participating in administrative and informational meetings. The stated allocation is 90% clinical responsibilities, 10% administrative responsibilities, and 0% other significant responsibilities. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is not a virtual position; ad hoc telework is available only as needed.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when recruitment of qualified citizens is not possible under VHA policy.
• Hold a 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.
• Be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• Have 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.
• Be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to the stated grandfathering provisions.
• Demonstrate skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial and/or case management.
• Demonstrate ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Demonstrate knowledge of methods for measuring the effectiveness of social work practice and services, using outcome evaluations to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Demonstrate ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and to model effective social work practice.
• Demonstrate ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Meet pre-employment screening and employment conditions, including background/security investigation, pre-employment physical examination, required identification and onboarding, and seasonal influenza vaccination.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical assessments and diagnose mental disorders.
• Educate patients, family members, and significant others.
• Provide evidence-based individual, family, and group psychotherapy.
• Consult with professional staff at John J. Pershing VAMC and community providers about clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans for patients with opiate addictions.
• Develop, implement, and document psychotherapeutic treatment plans for patients receiving services within the Mental Health Behavioral Service line.
• Adhere to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team.
• Coordinate services by facilitating liaisons with other health care programs.
• Comply with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders.
• Follow CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards and proper patient check-out procedures such as entering diagnostic and procedure codes.
• Attend and participate in administrative and informational meetings.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and program approval, with an award of up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special 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.
• Potential 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 birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment for eligible full-time employees, subject to income and other criteria.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

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