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SUD-C and SUD-IOP consists of a multidisciplinary teams serving veterans with substance use, psychiatric, psychosocial and medical issues. This position involves facilitating SUD treatment engagement and retention of veterans with a wide range of addiction and co-occurring problems both in the intensive outpatient and outpatient settings. The incumbent also works as a liaison with other VA providers/clinics and outside agencies contracting with the VA.

The social worker is expected to possess strong clinical skills to provide treatment for a range of substance use and comorbid mental health disorders relevant to Veterans. They will provide a wide range of care including - high-risk assessment and referral; intake/diagnostic and psychosocial assessments; comprehensive treatment planning using patient centered and recovery-based models; evidenced-based individual, group, and family therapy services to Veterans and their families; and case/care management services. The proportion of these duties will be determined by the Mental Health Service Chief(and/or his/her designee) and are expected to be flexible based upon clinical need. The Social Worker reports to the SUD-IOP Chief, Mental Health Service.

• Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments including assessing functioning and needs of Veterans to formulate and implement a recovery-oriented treatment plan, identifying the Veteran's problems, strengths, challenges, coping skills and assistance needed, in collaboration with the Veteran, family and interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Provides psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Utilizes knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) and the differential influences of the environment, society and culture. Utilizes independent judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving and evidence-based crisis intervention techniques.
• Knowledge and experience in the use of medical and DSM-5 mental health diagnoses, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects, and medical and mental health terminology. Provide psychoeducation to Veterans and their family members regarding diagnoses, symptom management and recovery from illness.
• Provide consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on mental health care and compliance with treatment.
• Provide orientation and coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students. Function as Field Instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VAAAHS field placements.
• Participate as member of various VAAAHS committees functioning as liaison between those committees and the Mental Health Service.
• Evaluate one's own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies and other organized means.
• Knowledge and skill in use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, predominantly those programs in use by VAAAHS.
• Complete comprehensive documentation in the veteran's charts including intake assessments, psychosocial assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and discharge plans.
• Independently provide evidence-based interventions and treatment modalities used in the Mental Health Service in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals.
• Independently use judgement and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
• Respond to consults by interviewing the veteran utilizing questionnaires and other assessment tools while determining the Veteran's emotional, functional, and psychological condition. Participate in multidisciplinary treatment decisions.
• Assist Veterans in the preparation of materials needed for application to various internal and external resources for entitlements, then, follow the process of application until a determination has been made. Serve as the major consultant for information on negotiating the

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination programs are requirements for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.

b. 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.

c. 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.

Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.]

1. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure.
2. A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.
3. Different states have different levels of licensure or certification, making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level. Each state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice. Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services, and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social worker's level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards. All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB. Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/. The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work. ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work. The ASWB offers three examinations. The master's examination is generally used by states for the independent practice level of licensure or certification, while the advanced generalist and the clinical examinations are used for the advanced practice level of licensure or certification. Differences between the master's and the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers will have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application.

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, résumé, 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.