Senior Social Worker (Military2VA)

Veterans Health Administration • Los Angeles, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Greater Los Angeles Health Care System is recruiting for a Senior Social Worker to serve on the Post-9/11 Military 2 VA Team. The incumbent provides clinical and administrative leadership for services to transitioning and established Service Members, Veterans, and their families, including assessment, therapy, care coordination, crisis intervention, referrals, advocacy, outreach, education, and program development.

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.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.
• 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).
• Candidates must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work 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.
• Must have 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.
• 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.
• Light lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking; standing; hearing (aid permitted).

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with Veterans, active-duty service members, or recently separated military populations, with knowledge of the transition from military to civilian life
• Strong case management and care coordination skills
• Knowledge of Veteran benefits and resources
• Experience with suicide risk assessment and comprehensive safety planning
• Experience in managing complex behavioral health and psychosocial needs

Responsibilities

• Provides specialized social work services to Post-9/11 Service Members, Veterans, and their families with complex medical, mental health, and psychosocial needs.
• Completes comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments and develops individualized treatment and case management plans.
• Provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy, supportive counseling, and advanced case management interventions.
• Coordinates short- and long-term care across VA programs, other agencies, and community providers.
• Develops and maintains comprehensive plans addressing patients' biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs.
• Provides crisis intervention, risk assessment, prevention, education, and timely referrals to specialty services.
• Advocates for Veterans and families in accessing VA, community, health care, housing, financial, and social services.
• Conducts outreach at events such as Post-Deployment Health Reassessments, Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Programs, and demobilizations.
• Identifies, develops, and utilizes community resources to enhance continuity of care and access to services.
• Tracks patients and services through appropriate systems and databases and maintains required documentation and workload records.
• Consults with and provides guidance, teaching, mentoring, and professional support to colleagues and students.
• Assesses program outcomes, participates in performance improvement activities, and recommends service enhancements based on findings.
• Practices independently, exercises professional judgment, and collaborates effectively with interdisciplinary teams.

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