Job Details

Senior Social Worker

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Responsibilities The Senior Social Worker (SSW) is assigned to the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Program for face to face or via telework within the Mental Health Service. The goal of the PCMHI Program is to promote effective treatment of common mental health conditions in the primary care setting through a system of integrated care for physical and mental health while promoting patient engagement and adherence to care. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, identify level of functioning, and degree of impairment in occupational, social, academic, interpersonal, and family functioning.
• Perform mental status exams.
• Identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions.
• Possess knowledge of the criteria and state laws for legal commitment and involuntary hospitalization.
• Ability to assess and intervene in cases of suspected abuse.
• Provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families, and groups.
• Ability to use medical and mental health diagnoses and treatment procedures in working with diverse populations and circumstances to includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, psychiatric, medical, and social problems.
• Basic knowledge of common medications and their effects/side effects.
• Ability to determine the presenting problem, as well as in-home factors impacting the problem, and determine barriers to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments.
• Collaborate with community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services for Veterans.
• Establish a collaborative relationship with a wide range of health care providers including medical and psychiatric providers, to include physicians, medical social workers, nurses, psychologists, pharmacists, and others.
• Social work case management coordination with members of the treatment team to ensure a collaborative effort to meet the treatment goals for a Veteran.
• Work in collaboration with the Suicide Prevention Team and the Local Recovery Coordinator and be well versed in suicide prevention Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Perform advanced level case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with poly-trauma injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairment, posttraumatic stress disorder, addictions, and serious mental illness.
• Maintain familiarity with performance measures that pertain to their practice.
• Documentation of staff interventions and activities in the computerized patient record system (CPRS) and ensure appropriate hand off using Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendations (SBAR) when transferring patient's care.
• Document all contacts with patients and families in CPRS.
• Complete statistical and other reports in accordance with SAVAHCS and respective professional discipline service policies.
• Collaborate with SAVAHCS multi-disciplinary teams and participate in committee assignments as needed.

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. work schedule, but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service. Compressed/Flexible: May be available.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Contact VHA .ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework: Full-Time Telework Eligible. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.

Qualifications 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of Social Work. Licensure. People 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