About this role
Job SummaryThe Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Program, which includes Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) and Rural Access Network For Growth Enhancement (RANGE), provides psychosocial rehabilitation, intensive case management, and community-based treatment for Veterans with chronic mental illness. Services occur in homes and community settings, including rural areas, through an interdisciplinary team. Clinicians work largely independently to ensure continuity of outpatient care.
QualificationsApplicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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 3 accreditation standards for a masters of social work. 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. 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: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience/Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience 8 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: 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. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 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. 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. 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: EBP Certification. Prior experience in similar role or with population served. Clinical supervision certification. Quality or utilization management experience. Former VA Trainee. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical requirements include the ability to walk, stand, and sit for extended periods of time, typically in an office setting. Some light to moderate lifting is required, as well as the ability to reach overhead, use of a computer and telephone for extended periods. Working closely with others, sometimes in close quarters, and demonstrating mental and emotional stability is required. BLS and PMDB certification and training is required. Must meet and maintain all physical and training requirements to be able to drive a government vehicle.
Major DutiesTotal Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties: Provide intensive case management using assertive outreach, individualized treatment planning, and multidisciplinary coordination. Serve as Team Lead when assigned, including coverage decisions, team meetings, performance tracking, and new staff training. Conduct psychosocial, mental status, and risk assessments.- Assist Veterans with program satisfaction and effectiveness questionnaires. Diagnose and treat Veterans with severe mental illness. Maintain frequent direct contact for assessment, psychotherapy, and support, increasing during crises. Meet Veterans in flexible community locations as needed. Strengthen Veterans' ability to address acute and chronic issues. Use community settings to teach and model problem-solving skills. Ensure continuity of care and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams. Provide outreach, assertive services, and mobilize supports including family, professionals, and community resources. Offer individual, family, group therapies, and educational programs. Participate in staffing for referrals, treatment planning, progress review, discharge, and aftercare. Coordinate with inpatient teams to ensure continuity, rehabilitation, and timely discharge. Complete all required clinical documentation, forms, recovery plans, and monitoring tools. Maintain working relationships with other clinical programs and community partners. Document program issues in CPRS and recommend solutions. Represent the program when screening Veterans for participation. Supervise and train social workers, students, volunteers, and provide orientation/training. Complete clinical forms for NEPEC and program evaluation. Assess Veteran safety prior to transport and follow transport SOPs. Use Measurement Based Care and NEPEC data for team and program planning. Provide consultation and mentorship to colleagues and students. Accept additional duties or special assignments as needed. Follow STVHCS suicide-risk evaluation procedures, including C-SSRS, CSRE, safety plans, and SBOR. Perform other assigned duties. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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: Ad-hoc as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 54307-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not AuthorizedRequirementsYou 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Pre-employment physical examination may be required, depending on the needs of the organization. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.