Senior Social Worker

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Yukon (OK); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Senior Social Worker (GS-12) to provide advanced clinical social work services in a specialized area. The role requires a Master’s in Social Work (CSWE-accredited) and state licensure or certification at the advanced practice level, with supervision responsibilities.

Two years of post-licensure experience in a specialized practice area are expected; one year should be at the GS-11 level.

Qualifications

• Requires Master’s degree in social work from CSWE-accredited school.
• Must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level for supervision.
• Two years of post-licensure experience in a specialized social work area, with one year at GS-11 level.

Responsibilities

• utilizar GS-12 grade senior social worker duties as outlined by VA standards.
• Possess KSAs including advanced interventions and supervision for licensure.
• Provide consultation and guidance to colleagues and students in psychosocial care.

Skills

Specialized interventions

Differential diagnosis

Outcome evaluations

Clinical supervision

Policy development

Education

Master's in Social Work (CSWE)

Job description

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.

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship.

Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part).

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.

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.

Licensure/Certification.

Individuals assigned as supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and 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.

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates

Senior Social Worker, GS-12

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 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.

This vacancy is being announced above the full performance level at a GS-12.

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/

Physical Requirements:

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019