Senior Social Worker

Veterans Health Administration • Lake City, FL

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker coordinates assessments, treatment, and referrals for Veterans in the North Florida/South Georgia catchment area, working closely with the SATT Supervisor on programming issues. The position provides specialized social work services for Veterans with substance use disorders, including outreach, assessment, treatment planning, psychotherapy, case management, crisis intervention, education, advocacy, and care coordination. Services are primarily outpatient, with coordination across the continuum of care and with inpatient treatment teams as needed.

The Senior Social Worker helps clinically supervise unlicensed and multidisciplinary staff, consults with colleagues and students, and teaches and mentors staff and students in the specialty area. The role also evaluates the effectiveness of social work services and uses outcome findings to improve treatment and inform system changes. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; telework and virtual work are not available.

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to VHA eligibility and application requirements. Approved awards may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years. Former EDRP participants are ineligible. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station 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.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• At least two years of experience after advanced practice clinical licensure, in a specialized area of social work practice; one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• Advanced-practice-level state licensure or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless grandfathered under applicable state rules; California licenses must meet the stated California clinical examination requirement.
• Ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• Skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial or case-management interventions.
• 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 social work practice and service effectiveness, use outcome evaluations, improve treatment, and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment and to model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in social work and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Meet the physical demands of the position, including good manual dexterity and the ability to communicate orally and in writing and view and read computer-screen information.
• Complete required background/security investigation, onboarding, pre-employment requirements, and pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in substance abuse counseling or case management.
• Certification or post-master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university in a specialty area, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate assessments, treatment, and referral services for Veterans in the North Florida/South Georgia catchment area in collaboration with the SATT Supervisor.
• Assist with clinical supervision of unlicensed and multidisciplinary staff, including addiction therapists, peer specialists, registered nurses, and program and support staff.
• Conduct outreach and assess Veterans' substance abuse, mental health, and medical needs.
• Screen consults; conduct biopsychosocial assessments; develop treatment plans and goals; refer Veterans to service providers and specialty clinics; and support resource utilization and development.
• Provide advocacy, crisis intervention, education and prevention, case management, care coordination, psychotherapy, supportive counseling, and administrative services for assigned duty areas.
• Provide individual, group, and family psychotherapy and advanced case management for Veterans with substance use disorders.
• Provide outpatient services and coordinate with inpatient treatment teams across the continuum of care as needed.
• Develop and implement methods to measure the effectiveness of social work practice and services in the SATP, use outcome evaluations to improve treatment, and design changes based on empirical findings.
• Consult with colleagues and students across disciplines and clinics about psychosocial treatment of Veterans with substance use disorders; provide professional opinions and model effective social work practice.
• Teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Accept additional and special assignments needed to meet program goals or customer needs.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Federal employee benefits package for eligible employees and their families.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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