Supervisory Social Worker

Veterans Health Administration • Lyons, NJ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The GS-12 Supervisory Social Worker reports to Social Work Service and provides clinical and administrative supervision across the PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) and Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) programs. The position supervises social workers serving PTSD Services and PCMHI at the Lyons and East Orange medical centers and associated VA clinics, and collaborates with the Section Chief, PTSD Services, and the PCMHI Program Coordinator. The incumbent attends administrative and programmatic meetings and helps ensure effective clinic operations, achievement of performance measures, and fulfillment of employee requirements across both programs.

The role also maintains a clinical caseload. Clinical work includes psychosocial and functional assessments, treatment planning and implementation, individual and group psychotherapy, family supportive counseling, case management, psychoeducation, and referrals for Veterans and their family members or significant others. Services are provided according to the treatment model of the applicable program, PTSD Services or PCMHI.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• Licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, demonstrating advanced practice skills in a specialty area or administration and progressively greater professional competency and judgment.
• Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Knowledge of supervisory duties, including clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments, and quality improvement.
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services.
• Ability to provide staff training and development.
• Interpersonal skills for working with employees, team leaders, and managers.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Must pass required pre-employment evaluation and screening, including background/security investigation and physical evaluation; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-employment urinalysis.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience in PTSD clinical practice.
• Strong knowledge of evidence-based mental health interventions, interdisciplinary collaboration, program operations, access to care, and performance improvement within a complex healthcare system.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Develop staff performance standards, solicit feedback, review performance, and recommend annual performance appraisal ratings.
• Monitor staff competency and track renewal of state licensure and continuing education hours.
• Support staff professional development by identifying training needs and arranging continuing education, training, and development.
• Assist staff in establishing performance and professional goals and development plans.
• Recommend clinical privileges, promotions, reassignments, and disciplinary actions as appropriate.
• Participate in interviews for vacancies and recommend staff selections based on competency, skills, past performance, and Equal Employment Opportunity plans.
• Address Veteran and family complaints concerning assigned social workers, including discussing concerns with Veterans and family members, responding to congressional and White House Hotline complaints, and updating the PATS-R system.
• Collaborate with the Section Chief, PTSD Services, and PCMHI Program Coordinator to support clinic operations, performance measures, and employee requirements.
• Attend administrative and programmatic meetings.
• Maintain a clinical caseload and complete psychosocial and functional assessments.
• Develop and implement treatment plans and provide individual and group psychotherapy, family supportive counseling, case management, psychoeducation, and referrals to Veterans and their family members or significant others.
• Provide clinical services consistent with the treatment model of PTSD Services or PCMHI, as applicable.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and program approval, with an award of up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 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.
• Possible credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days for eligible full-time employees and families meeting the stated income and eligibility criteria, up to 25% of eligible costs and a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401K with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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