Senior Social Worker (Inpatient Psychiatry)

Veterans Health Administration • Seattle, WA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker provides clinical case management and social work services for the 7West Inpatient Psychiatric Unit within the Acute Care Section of the Mental Health Service Line at VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, Washington. The 16-bed unit serves voluntary and involuntary patients and also provides scheduled admissions for detoxification and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). The position includes working with Veterans hospitalized under the Involuntary Treatment Act, coordinating with County Crisis and Commitment Services, and providing court testimony as the VA Court Evaluator.

The incumbent provides services within the Social Work Scope of Practice according to Veteran needs, acuity, and preferences. Services include psychosocial assessment, case management, individual, family, and group therapy, discharge planning, resource linkage, and care coordination. The role also includes consultation and psychoeducation for Veterans and families, clinical consultation with staff, accurate electronic health record documentation, program planning and development, and supervision of students, interns, or unlicensed Social Workers as requested.

This is a permanent, non-virtual position with a Monday–Friday schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available. Recruitment/relocation incentives and permanent change-of-station assistance are not authorized.

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.
• Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• 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.
• Advanced practice-level state license or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to the stated grandfathering provisions.
• Ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• 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 methods for evaluating the effectiveness of social work practice and services, using outcomes to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Must complete required background/security investigation, onboarding, application documentation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Strong background working with adults with severe and persistent mental illness in acute inpatient psychiatric, psychiatric emergency, or similarly high-acuity behavioral health settings.
• Experience providing comprehensive psychosocial assessments, clinical case management, complex discharge planning, individual and group interventions, and care coordination for patients with significant psychiatric, substance use, medical, housing, and psychosocial needs.
• Experience with involuntary psychiatric treatment, including familiarity with Washington State Involuntary Treatment Act requirements and collaboration with Designated Crisis Responders and the court system; clinical testimony or court evaluator experience is especially desirable.
• Experience working independently within a multidisciplinary treatment team, supervising or teaching social work trainees and staff, and contributing to program development, quality improvement, and evidence-based clinical programming.
• Certification or post-master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university in a specialty area.

Responsibilities

• Conduct psychosocial assessments and facilitate daily group programming on the inpatient psychiatric unit.
• Provide clinical case management and a full range of social work services based on Veteran needs, acuity, and preferences.
• Provide case management, individual, family, and group therapy, discharge planning, resource linkage, and care coordination.
• Work with Veterans hospitalized under the Involuntary Treatment Act, coordinate with County Crisis and Commitment Services, and provide court testimony as the VA Court Evaluator.
• Provide consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and families on community resources, Advance Directives, VA benefits, budgeting, activities of daily living, and recovery goals.
• Consult with other team and staff members and take a lead clinical role in case consultation.
• Document Veteran care in the electronic health record in accordance with facility policy, VHA Directive 1160.06 and revisions, and program-specific SOPs.
• Participate in program planning and development; advise the supervisor of changing Veteran care needs and identify potential SOP or policy changes.
• Provide supervision to students, interns, or unlicensed Social Workers as requested.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with 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 family-income, child-eligibility, and monthly-limit conditions.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• 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