The incumbent has advanced and expert 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 interventions used in the treatment of veterans with chronic pain, and/or other complex physical or medical illness, and/or mental health and substance use needs.

Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the area of chronic pain and cancer related pain utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Incumbent is able to demonstrate the ability to design changes based on empirical findings. Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. As a member of a Pain Team, the incumbent works independently using his/her 2 educational training, clinical experience, VA policies, and TJC standards in administering direct services.

The Senior Social Worker is to provide supportive counseling and appropriate case management services to reduce the Veteran's stress and maximize psychosocial wellbeing throughout all phases of their medical treatment and care. The incumbent has the ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges. Incumbent develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. The treatment plan will be reviewed during therapeutic sessions and reassessed as appropriate. Specific tasks may include:

• Assessing the patient's understanding of their diagnoses and proposed treatments
• Education/instruction regarding self-relaxation and other coping strategies
• Assessing treatment options when factoring in work, family, and the Veteran's other obligations
• Active in the facility Pain Management Review Team
• Providing referrals and linkage to community agencies with specialized benefits
• Counseling individuals, couples, and families or referrals to specialized mental health providers
• Linkages to appropriate support groups and educational programs
• Interagency collaboration when Veteran's care involves multiple entities
• Facilitating communication between the treatment team, Veteran, and Family, including advocacy
• Facilitating family discussions about illness, healthcare and life changes
• Providing education related to the patient's VA, Social Security, and disability benefits
• Providing education or referrals for required transportation to/from treatments at the VA or community programs, including needs of rural veterans
• Participation in the facility high risk and overdose review teams
• Referral to, and coordination of, substance use disorder clinical services
• Addressing the impact of chronic pain on life issues
• Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty medical programs area rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills.
• The Social Worker will participate in and conduct meetings with Community partners/case managers in the community and at medical center.
• The Social Worker will provide education to medical providers, mental health providers and staff in general regarding the role of the social worker in the Pain Clinic and roles associated with treatment of complex pain and cancer related pain
• The Social Worker performs other related duties as assigned

Preferred Experience: Working in a team environment on a medical team as a social worker. Pain management experience preferred

Work Schedule: 08:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

NOTE: Prior to accepting a final employment offer, all selected applicants will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination and maintain CDT physical readiness.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Must be able to meet physical demands which include strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distances over difficult terrain, running, climbing, working long hours in primitive or arduous conditions, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Written and Spoken
• Physical Standards: All applicants must meet the physical standards for the position. A physical examination prior to employment may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT:

Meets the qualification standard for the GS 12 Senior Social Worker as defined in VA Handbook 5005, Part II Appendix G39,

Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-185 Veteran Health Administration. Social Worker, GS-12 Experience and Licensure.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps