Senior Social Worker (Psychosocial Rehabilitation Recovery Center) - EDRP Approved

Veterans Health Administration • Dallas, TX

19h • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker provides specialized psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery services to Veterans with serious mental illness and potentially co-occurring substance use disorders. The role includes assessment, care coordination, treatment planning, case management, clinical care, group activities, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and community partners.

The incumbent conducts intake and comprehensive psychosocial assessments, gathers input from Veterans, families, caregivers, significant others, and the interdisciplinary team, and develops measurable, behaviorally stated treatment plans. The position monitors electronic consultations, makes recommendations to the PRRC treatment team, updates treatment plans in accordance with VA policy, screens Veterans for domiciliary programs, and provides ongoing treatment under applicable guidelines.

The Senior Social Worker manages a caseload of Veterans receiving PRRC services, serving as a Recovery Buddy and helping them reintegrate into the community. The role also involves facilitating community-based group activities, which may require transporting Veterans, maintaining clinical reminders, and building partnerships with VA and community mental health and substance use disorder programs. The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; telework and virtual work 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 at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to stated grandfathering provisions; must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• At least two years of experience after advanced practice clinical licensure in a specialized area of social work practice, including one year equivalent to GS-11.
• Demonstrated advanced practice skills and judgment in a specialized area of social work practice.
• 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 measuring the effectiveness of social work practice and services, using outcome evaluations to improve treatment and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and to model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, or practice guidelines related to the service delivery area.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Physical ability to perform the listed demands, including light lifting and carrying under 15 pounds, pushing and pulling, reaching, walking and standing, bending, keyboarding, and sitting.

Nice To Haves

• Case management experience.
• History of working with Veterans living with serious mental illness.
• Mental health crisis intervention experience.
• Experience with assessments and evaluations.
• Experience developing treatment plans.
• Supportive and evidence-based psychotherapy experience.
• Certification or post-master's training in a specialty from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including a defined curriculum and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct intake, brief, and comprehensive psychosocial assessments of Veterans, including assessing needs, willingness to participate in services, and care coordination options.
• Gather input from Veterans, families, caregivers, significant others, and interdisciplinary treatment team members to collaborate on service plans.
• Develop treatment plans with behavioral, measurable objectives and concrete interventions, including psychosocial clinical treatment goals; update plans according to VA policy timelines.
• Monitor electronic consultations, complete assessments, and make recommendations to the PRRC treatment team.
• Screen patients for specific domiciliary programs and provide ongoing treatment according to domiciliary guidelines.
• Provide direct clinical care to Veterans with serious mental illness and potentially co-occurring substance use disorders.
• Manage a caseload of PRRC Veterans and serve as their Recovery Buddy, providing case management and support for community reintegration.
• Participate in and manage community-based group activities that help Veterans engage in community groups and activities; transport Veterans into the community when necessary.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with VA and community mental health, substance use disorder, and comorbid mental health programs to obtain resources for Veterans' health care needs.
• Complete and maintain clinical reminders for Veterans receiving services.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with an award amount up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, 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.
• Child care subsidy may be available to eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• 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 can be carried into retirement.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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