Senior Social Worker - Lead In-Patient Mental Health Program

Veterans Health Administration • Kansas City, MO

7d • Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as the Inpatient Mental Health Social Work Lead, functioning as the senior clinical social worker and subject matter expert for the Inpatient Mental Health Unit. Higher-level duties described below constitute at least 25% of the Social Worker's assigned work, consistent with the Advanced Practice Level standard. Duties include but are not limited to: Deliver advanced psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment (individual, group, family, crisis) for high-acuity Veterans on the inpatient mental health unit. Lead complex/high-risk discharge planning; convene care team meetings; coordinate transitions and continuity of care across outpatient/residential programs per VHA Directive 1160.06. Serve as a core member of the Interdisciplinary Treatment Team; participate in twice-weekly ITT reviews and provide senior clinical input on complex cases. Consult on suicide risk assessment and safety planning; provide coverage for suicide prevention activities in the SPC's absence. Design recovery-oriented interventions; collaborate with the Local Recovery Coordinator and address needs of women and LGBTQ+ Veterans in programming and discharge planning. Develop/refine psychosocial assessment and intervention models; evaluate outcomes and lead unit-wide quality improvement/program evaluation. Mentor and guide social workers and trainees; lead orientation/training; provide case consultation and informal supervision. Coordinate complex community placements (nursing home/residential treatment); expand VA/community resource networks and manage referrals/negotiations. Ensure accurate documentation in CPRS/Mental Health Suite; uphold unit standards for handoffs and communication. Represent social work on facility/VISN committees/workgroups; draft and maintain unit policies, procedures, and practice guidelines. Support program administration: report trends/problems, ensure compliance with VA/VHA policies, EEO, safety and security; maintain productivity and clinical quality. Provide weekend shift coverage as assigned to ensure continuity of services. Participate in FPPE/OPPE; maintain an IDP; pursue continuing education; provide clinical supervision toward licensure where authorized.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.
• Must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Must have at least two years of experience 9 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 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 and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• Licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice.

Responsibilities

• Deliver advanced psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment (individual, group, family, crisis) for high-acuity Veterans on the inpatient mental health unit.
• Lead complex/high-risk discharge planning; convene care team meetings; coordinate transitions and continuity of care across outpatient/residential programs per VHA Directive 1160.06.
• Serve as a core member of the Interdisciplinary Treatment Team; participate in twice-weekly ITT reviews and provide senior clinical input on complex cases.
• Consult on suicide risk assessment and safety planning; provide coverage for suicide prevention activities in the SPC's absence.
• Design recovery-oriented interventions; collaborate with the Local Recovery Coordinator and address needs of women and LGBTQ+ Veterans in programming and discharge planning.
• Develop/refine psychosocial assessment and intervention models; evaluate outcomes and lead unit-wide quality improvement/program evaluation.
• Mentor and guide social workers and trainees; lead orientation/training; provide case consultation and informal supervision.
• Coordinate complex community placements (nursing home/residential treatment); expand VA/community resource networks and manage referrals/negotiations.
• Ensure accurate documentation in CPRS/Mental Health Suite; uphold unit standards for handoffs and communication.
• Represent social work on facility/VISN committees/workgroups; draft and maintain unit policies, procedures, and practice guidelines.
• Support program administration: report trends/problems, ensure compliance with VA/VHA policies, EEO, safety and security; maintain productivity and clinical quality.
• Provide weekend shift coverage as assigned to ensure continuity of services.
• Participate in FPPE/OPPE; maintain an IDP; pursue continuing education; provide clinical supervision toward licensure where authorized.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

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