Social Worker-Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program

Veterans Health Administration • White City, OR

1d

About The Position

The Social Worker works in the Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP), providing treatment coordination and therapeutic interventions to Resident Veterans experiencing complex mental health, addiction, behavioral, physical, psychosocial, and environmental challenges. The role aims to maximize rehabilitation and treatment potential and support Veterans in achieving abstinence, emotional and economic stability, and housing stability before returning to their communities.

The Social Worker independently uses a recovery-oriented treatment model, carries a caseload, develops treatment plans with Veterans based on initial assessments, and coordinates care from admission through discharge in collaboration with the treatment team. The position includes individual and group treatment, crisis intervention, family coordination, community referrals, and consultation with staff. The vacancy is at the GS-09 to GS-11 level, with GS-11 identified as the full performance level.

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 basic requirement.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's level; an exception may be available at GS-09 while state prerequisites are being completed, but GS-11 requires licensure or certification.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-11, at least one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to GS-09 in health care or another social-work-related setting, plus independent-practice licensure or certification; alternatively, a doctoral degree in social work may substitute for the one year of professional clinical social work experience.
• Ability to use a Veteran-centric approach in interventions and counseling with Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors.
• 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 supportive, problem-solving, or crisis-intervention techniques as appropriate.
• Ability to establish 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 ability to make appropriate referrals and coordinate services.
• For GS-11, skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions with people from varied socioeconomic, educational, and other backgrounds.
• For GS-11, skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems.
• For GS-11, ability to consult with new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about psychosocial needs and effects on health care and treatment compliance.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated limited exception for non-citizen appointments under VA policy.
• For males born after December 31, 1959, Selective Service registration is required.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and background/security investigation, complete required onboarding and application documentation, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment after the trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with substance use disorder.

Responsibilities

• Independently implement the recovery model of treatment.
• Carry a caseload and use initial assessments to develop treatment plans and mutually establish treatment goals with Veterans.
• Coordinate treatment and discharge planning within the VA system to help Veterans re-engage with their communities of choice.
• Provide ongoing treatment coordination from admission through discharge in collaboration with the treatment team.
• Conduct daily group treatment coordination meetings for the assigned caseload.
• Meet individually with assigned Veterans at least once every other week.
• Provide at least five hours of group treatment per week and supplemental individual sessions as needed and recommended by the treatment team.
• Coordinate community-based services and provide information and referrals to VA programs, government programs, and community agencies.
• Identify high-risk patients independently and provide crisis intervention addressing underlying causes as well as presenting concerns.
• Coordinate family conferences and serve as a liaison to family members.
• Establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families.
• Provide individual, group, and family counseling and therapy to patients and families experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems.
• Provide consultation to staff regarding Veterans' psychosocial needs and the effects of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plans.
• Evaluate personal practice through peer review, case conferences, and other organizational methods.
• Communicate effectively in writing and orally with people from varied backgrounds.
• Facilitate referrals based on Veterans' needs and eligibility, including those related to Veterans' benefits and services.

Benefits

• 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 of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income, child-eligibility, and subsidy limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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.

What This Job Offers

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