Career Center

The Primary Purpose of the Position is: Housing and Urban Development / VA Supportive Housing (HUD/VASH) is an intensive case management program for Chronically Homeless Veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services to Veterans while residing in stable housing through HUD's Section 8 Voucher system. The Mental Health Service of the VA North Texas Health Care System values cultural diversity across our staff and training programs. Mental Health Service leaders are deeply committed to fostering an environment that is highly sensitive to and appreciative of all aspects of diversity. Our staff represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, competencies, interests, and theoretical orientations. We believe that increased self-awareness and appreciation for other viewpoints and cultures makes our service stronger and strengthens our ability to provide the highest quality of mental health care. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS 12 Senior Social Worker Experience: At the senior social worker level you must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. GS 11 equivalent experiences include: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working within individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's). In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.(b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.(c) Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.(d) Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.(e) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Social Work Case Management Assessment with Intervention Educational Counseling Supportive and Psychotherapy Working with Homeless References: A Handbook 5005 Part II APPENDIX G39. SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds, Light carrying, under 15 pounds, Straight pulling (1 hour), Pushing (2 hours)Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Walking (3 hours), Standing (3 hours), Repeated bending (1 hours), Climbing, use of legs and arms, Both legs required, Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Both eyes required, Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Ability to distinguish shades of colors, Hearing (aid may be permitted), Frequent Keyboarding to operate computer; Distant vision (Snellen): without corrective lenses: right: 20 left: 20 ; with corrective lenses, if worn; right: 20 left: 20; Ear assessment: Right: 20 Left : 20 ["The Senior Social Worker supports the Homeless Programs by providing early engagement and ensuring continuity of care between Homeless Programs that serve Veterans and a variety of community locations outside of a clinic setting. The incumbent provides intensive case management services and psychotherapy to Veterans who are on the street, in a shelter, and in their personal residence after housed, providing support to them as they transition from engagement to stabilization through programs such as Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Program (RRTP), Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV), Grant Per Diem (GPD), and HUD-VASH. The incumbent provides on-going intensive case management and early treatment interventions to promote permanent housing.\nFunctions/Duties: Performs specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness, comorbid and homelessness. Incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved scope of practice. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs. Ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services, utilizing outcome evaluations and use of evidence-based treatment modalities that are effective with Veterans who are living with homelessness, along with medically and psychiatrically complex conditions. Incumbent also provides specialized assessments, and treatment planning, as well as homeless consultation, to other team members to provide interventions and strategies for engagement for difficult to engage clients. Using a recovery model framework, independently conducts comprehensive homeless, mental health, and comorbid assessments and develops treatment plans in collaboration with Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment team. Monitors e-consults, complete assessments, and make recommendations to the HUD/VASH Program in addition to provide direct clinical care to Veterans struggling with mental health illness, comorbid and homeless concerns. Assists Veterans in transportation when appropriate to link them to community services. The incumbent develops and maintains effective partnerships with VANTHCS mental health, substance use disorder programs, homeless and other VANTHCS teams and programs and follows leadership guidelines regarding access to VA mental health, substance abuse and homeless programs within VISN 17, including use of VA contracted care as warranted. Develops and provides ongoing training and in-services to multidisciplinary team members in area of expertise. Develops effective and strong relationships with community resources to ensure continuity of care and to promote successful transitions of services. Develops and maintains treatment and documentation standards that meet the expectations and requirements of Joint Commission and CARF accreditation. Performs additional and special assignments that are related to program goals, and the needs of the HUD/VASH Program and its clients. Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides crisis intervention services. Completes suicide risk screens and documents assessments as required by policy. Provides follow up with Veterans who fail to attend appointments, per local procedures, and consults with Suicide Prevention Coordinator or member of Suicide Risk Reduction Committee or direct supervisor as needed to ensure the safety and welfare of all Veterans. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8: 00 am - 4:30 pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]