Social Worker-Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

Veterans Health Administration • Colorado Springs, CO

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Social Worker serves as a therapist on a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team and practices in accordance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. The role involves assessing veterans’ psychosocial functioning and needs, collaborating with veterans, family members or significant others, and interdisciplinary staff to develop treatment plans and achievable goals, and providing individual, family, and group psychotherapy using evidence-based methods. Treatment addresses the psychosocial effects of severe mental illness, chronic or disabling illness, and catastrophic illness, with goals that include symptom relief, increased understanding, behavior change, recovery, and overall well-being.

The Social Worker contributes to discharge planning, reassesses veterans’ needs with other service providers, advocates for veterans and families when appropriate, and conducts rapid assessments and crisis management planning, including referral or admission to inpatient mental health programs when appropriate. The role also includes education about VA and community resources, entitlements, and advance directives; reviewing provider progress notes; explaining available options; participating in peer review; and completing clinical documentation within facility timelines. In medical or psychiatric emergencies, the employee follows the applicable mental health unit or program and VA Medical Eastern Colorado Healthcare System protocols.

The position follows a Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. schedule. Telework and virtual work are not available. Physical demands are generally minor and the work is primarily sedentary, though it may involve sitting, standing, walking, prolonged standing, moderate walking, manual dexterity, and carrying light items such as books, files, or a laptop. The work may be emotionally stressful due to work with veterans at high risk for suicide and their families.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and approval. The program may provide up to $200,000 in student-loan reimbursement over an eligibility period of one to five years. Approval, award amount, and eligibility period are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office. Sign-on and relocation incentives 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 this master’s degree requirement.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s level for GS-11 and above; a limited exception may apply at GS-9 while completing state prerequisites.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-11: at least one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to GS-9 in health care or another social-work-related setting, plus state licensure or certification for independent practice; alternatively, a doctoral degree in social work may substitute for the required year of professional clinical social work experience.
• Ability to use counseling skills with veterans and family members.
• Ability to assess psychosocial functioning and needs and formulate and implement treatment plans identifying problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and needed assistance.
• Ability to implement treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups, using judgment and skills in supportive, problem-solving, or crisis-intervention techniques.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and community-agency representatives.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses or injuries, common medications and their effects or side effects, and medical terminology.
• For GS-11: knowledge of community resources and referrals to community and governmental agencies, and ability to coordinate services.
• For GS-11: skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions with people from varied socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other backgrounds.
• For GS-11: skill in independently implementing treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems.
• For GS-11: ability to consult with new social workers, graduate students, and other staff about patients’ psychosocial needs and the effects of psychosocial problems on health care and treatment compliance.
• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Successful completion of background and security investigation and online onboarding requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must meet application and required-document requirements and serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with adults in a mental health setting.
• Experience providing psychotherapy or therapy in an outpatient mental health setting.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a therapist on a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team and practice in accordance with the NASW Code of Ethics.
• Develop psychosocial assessments in collaboration with veterans, family members or significant others, and the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Collaborate on treatment plans and set achievable treatment goals with veterans, families or significant others, and BHIP clinical staff.
• Provide individual, family, and group psychotherapeutic treatment using evidence-based psychological methods.
• Facilitate timely discharge planning with veterans, families, and interdisciplinary treatment team members.
• Collaborate with service providers to reassess veterans’ needs.
• Advocate for veterans and family members or caregivers when it serves their best interests.
• Conduct rapid assessments and develop crisis management plans, including inpatient mental health admission when appropriate.
• Follow applicable mental health unit or program and VA Medical Eastern Colorado Healthcare System protocols during medical or psychiatric emergencies.
• Educate veterans and families about VA and community resources, entitlements, and advance directives or living wills, and refer them to appropriate team members for health education needs.
• Review other providers’ progress notes to determine veterans’ strengths and limitations.
• Explain available options to veterans, families, significant others, and the team, and collaborate on preferred options.
• Participate in Mental Health Social Work peer review.
• Complete clinical documentation within facility timelines.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with an award of 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 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of 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.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days for eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, covering up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, subject to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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