Social Worker-Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP)

Department of Veterans Affairs • San Juan, PR

34d • Onsite

About The Position

VA Caribbean Healthcare System San Juan, Puerto Rico is looking for Social Worker- Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) who will work within Mental Health Services. The BHIP provides consultation and treatment services to Veterans referred from all services of the VA Caribbean Health Care System (VACHS) who present with symptomatic moderate to severe mental illness and benefit from an interdisciplinary and recovery-oriented treatment approach. The Social Worker is an essential team member of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP). Recommendations and/or treatment are individually tailored for patient's needs, considering standardized therapies and measurement-based care. Collaborative work among interdisciplinary team members, medical and other behavioral health sciences programs is expected. The primary age of patients served in the BHIP is normally between the ages of 18-65 or older, much of whom are men. The BHIP is based on the recovery model and is designed around the principles of flexibility, choice and self -determination.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate teamwork approach skills, individual supportive therapy skills, group facilitation skills such as motivation-based strategies, and cognitive behavioral techniques.
• Develop a behavioral health psychosocial assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members and significant others.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age associated illnesses and conditions.
• Must have an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population.
• Reassessment is required annually or more frequently if there is a change in the patient's life plan.
• Measurement based care (MBC) tools are used by the MSW as part of the screening, evaluation and monitoring of patient symptoms and response to interventions.
• Responsible for participating in the development of the initial individualized treatment plan and setting treatment goals as identified by Veteran with SMART objectives that will be specific, measurable, achievable and relevant for the Veteran/family.
• Initial treatment plan will be opened and closed within two (2) weeks of the Veteran's first visit to the BHIP during the episode of care.
• initial treatment plan will be completed by all disciplines within 45 days of index visit or when the social worker evaluation is completed, whatever occurs first.
• Responsible for the review/update of the treatment plan of the BHIP patients.
• Cases identified as High Risk for suicide require a treatment plan update every 90 days until the High-Risk status changes.
• Provide the Veterans, their family/significant others and caregivers with ongoing evidence based therapeutic interventions (individual, group, family and couples therapy).
• Will facilitate response and proper management of documents related with the State Mental Health Law 408 for involuntary services, this includes but is not limited to, writing of reports, case discussion with the interdisciplinary team and promote family involvement in the process.

Benefits

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Parental Leave: 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.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Administration of Human Resource Programs
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees