Senior Social Worker - Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Veterans Health Administration • Palo Alto, CA

9h • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker position within the VA Palo Alto Health Care System provides advanced-level clinical psychosocial and case management services to Veterans and their families. Working independently under Social Work leadership, the incumbent delivers specialized clinical practice to address complex biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs.

The incumbent provides social work case management services, program coordination, and program development in the inpatient Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center (PRC), Comprehensive Rehab Center (CRC), residential Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP), and Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The role includes independent clinical assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention, coordination with government and community agencies, and leadership and development of social work staff.

This is a Monday–Friday position, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling and telework are not available; this is not a virtual position. Relocation or recruitment incentives and permanent change-of-station benefits are not available.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Social Work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree does not substitute for the master's degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to the stated state-specific exceptions.
• Ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• At least two years of experience after advanced practice clinical licensure; experience should be in a specialized area of social work practice, with one year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Demonstrated advanced practice skills and judgment in a specialized area of social work.
• 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 the effectiveness of social work practice and services and use outcome evaluations to improve services and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation on psychosocial treatment and role-model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and background/security investigation, complete onboarding requirements, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), or Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certification.
• Full independent licensure at the advanced practice level.
• At least two years of experience in an area of specialized social work practice.
• Certification or post-master's specialty training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent and expert clinical psychosocial and case management services in specialized acute rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, and polytrauma residential rehabilitation settings.
• Coordinate services with VHA, the Department of Defense, military treatment facilities, the Military Medical Support Office, Veterans Benefits Administration, Vet Centers, and community agencies to support comprehensive care.
• Independently conduct assessments and evaluations appropriate to the care setting.
• Develop and implement treatment plans identifying patient problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and support needs in collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Develop action plans to maximize assessment and crisis intervention services in light of circumstances and available resources.
• Develop and expand professional intervention strategies.
• Provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education for assigned social work staff.
• Provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and role-model effective social work practice.
• Develop and implement methods to evaluate the effectiveness of social work practice and services, using outcomes to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Write policies, procedures, and practice guidelines related to the service delivery area.
• Collaborate with treatment-team members to provide comprehensive health care and help ensure equitable access to services and benefits and high-quality care.
• Serve on facility, VISN, national, or community committees, work groups, and task forces as appropriate.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Eligible employees may receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the 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 income and other eligibility criteria; subsidy is up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, with a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• 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 may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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