Social Worker (Primary Care)

Veterans Health Administration • Fresno, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Social Worker (Primary Care) serves on the Department of Veterans Affairs Clinical Deployment Team (CDT), which provides health care support during emergencies and disasters. When not deployed, CDT staff work at an assigned VA facility. Team members must be available to deploy with 72 hours' notice during two windows per calendar year, for up to one month at a time, and work in high-stress situations that may involve austere conditions or emergency settings. They provide direct patient care within their practice, privileges, and licensure; participate in readiness training; maintain required qualifications and certifications; and meet physical-readiness, vaccination, and infection-control requirements.

The Social Worker provides psychosocial treatment and independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their families. In collaboration with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary treatment team, the role formulates and implements treatment plans that identify problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and needed assistance. Services include short-term, solution-focused counseling, crisis intervention, assessment and diagnosis, education and referrals for resources and benefits, case management, and follow-up. The Social Worker also conducts outreach to vulnerable populations, connects impacted Veterans with VA and community resources, assists in locating family members and medical records or emergency documentation, and provides subject-matter expertise across disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

The position's work schedule may vary depending on deployment or assigned-facility needs. It is not available for telework and is not a virtual position. Travel is listed as none, and Permanent Change of Station is 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 license or certification to independently practice social work at the advanced-practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to the stated grandfathering provisions.
• Ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• At least two years of experience after advanced-practice clinical licensure, in a specialized area of social work practice.
• At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.
• 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 developing and implementing methods to measure the effectiveness of social work practice and services, use 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 for the service-delivery area.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination and maintain CDT physical readiness.
• Meet physical demands that may include strenuous activity, carrying people and equipment, walking long distances over difficult terrain, running, climbing, working long hours in primitive or arduous conditions, standing for long periods, bending, and stooping.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete required background/security investigation and online onboarding; provide acceptable identification and required application documents.
• Sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities before accepting a final employment offer.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period.

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 in a specialized area of social work practice.
• Experience conducting visits to impacted areas and emergency shelters, possibly with VA Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) or other emergency-management response protocols.
• Certification or post-master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychosocial treatment and independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members.
• Formulate and implement treatment plans in collaboration with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Provide short-term, solution-focused counseling to individuals and families in crisis.
• Provide education and referrals for resources and benefits, case management, and post-intervention follow-up.
• Provide assessment and evaluation services appropriate to the care setting.
• Work with medical center staff on patient-care matters, including patients' decision-making capacity regarding health care.
• Develop plans of action to maximize assessment and crisis-intervention services based on circumstances and available resources.
• Conduct crisis-intervention strategies, including assessment and diagnosis.
• Conduct outreach to vulnerable populations, including in disadvantaged areas.
• Identify impacted Veterans and connect them with VA and community resources.
• Assist with locating family members and loved ones.
• Contact hospitals or other relevant locations to locate medical records or emergency documentation.
• Provide subject-matter expertise in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Be available to deploy with 72 hours' notice during two windows per calendar year, for up to one month at a time.
• Provide direct patient care within the requirements of practice, privileges, and licensure.
• Participate in CDT training and demonstrate readiness to apply professional skills in emergency situations.
• Maintain required qualifications and certifications, including applicable BLS, ACLS, or ATLS certification.
• Maintain CDT physical-readiness requirements, vaccinations, and infection-control safety precautions.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type and other factors.

What This Job Offers

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