Career Center

The Social Worker Works within the HCHV program. The HCHV Social Worker supports the program by providing early engagement and ensuring continuity of care for Veterans between the different programs within the Comprehensive Homeless Center Programs. The Organizational Location of the Position is: VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS), Mental Health Division, Fort Worth, Texas. 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Persons hired or reassigned to a Social Worker position in the GS-0185 series in the VHA must 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 Master's of Social Work. Licensure/Certification: 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/. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. 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: Experience/Education: The candidate 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. Licensure/Certification: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the requirements listed above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Senior Social Workers are licensed or certified to independently practice Social Work at an advanced level. Senior Social Workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site; a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The Senior Social Worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. The Senior Social Worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The Senior Social Worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned Social Work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management. This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation. Preferred Experience: Case Management Mental Health Crisis Intervention Data collection, management and presentation Assessments and Evaluations Working in encampments and shelters with housing placements Supportive and psychotherapeutic therapies References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualifications Standard GS-0185 dated September 10, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy and the actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds); Straight pulling (up to 1 hour); Pushing (2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Both hands required; Walking (up to 3 hours); Standing (up to 3 hours); Repeated bending (up to 1 hour); Climbing, use of legs and arms; Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Both eyes required; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted); and Frequent keyboarding to operate a computer. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU 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. Duties include but are not limited to: Performs specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness, comorbid and homelessness. 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. 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. 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 HCHV 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. Develops and maintains effective partnerships with VANTHCS mental health, substance use disorder programs, homeless and other VANTHCS teams and programs. Participates in all HCHV Program meetings related to Veterans enrolled in substance use disorder programs to ensure good transitions of care for population served. Works in homeless shelters associated with VANTHCS. Manages consults for the program. 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. Advanced skills in community partnership building and is able to expertly represent the VANTHCS HCHV Program. Responsible for ensuring that HCHV Program is compliant with all regulations, policies, and procedures relevant to the population served and monitors medical center performance related to population served. 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 HCHV Program and its clients. Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides crisis intervention services. Completes suicide risk screens and documents assessments. Completes comprehensive assessments and collaborative safety plans when clinically indicated and provides follow-up appointments for all Veterans upon initiation of the \"High Risk for Potential Suicide List\". 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. Provides wellness/prevention education and facility patient and family support groups as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 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"]