Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is only open to current and permanent employees of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center and it's associated outpatient clinics. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Clinical Functions (70%):
The PCMHI Senior Social Worker has primarily clinical duties and is assigned to provide complex behavioral health services to Veterans in the PACT clinic. The incumbent applies advanced diagnostic methods and evidence-based intervention strategies to a full range of patient problems in this work setting. Primary job functions include the provision of direct behavioral health patient care and consultation services. The incumbent interacts and works with clinicians from other Services, as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team. The incumbent has advanced skills in interpersonal relationships, including conflict resolution and ability to work collaboratively with staff from other professions. Social work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care. These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition, untreated or under-treated mental health or substance abuse condition, and psychosocial factors. Referrals typically originate from any member of the PACT team and/or from Veterans who call or walk-in for assistance.
The incumbent: Administrative Functions (30%):

• Is responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility.
• Is willing to serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and Chiefs of Psychology and Social Work Services.
• Serves as a liaison between PCMHI providers and the Community Care office when questions arise about patient care.
• Contributes to PCMHI team and Psychology Service efforts to improve local and national metrics related to care coordination, access to care, and patient satisfaction.
• Is able to provide assistance with the orientation and learning of less experienced social workers and, if interested, serve as a field instructor for graduate level social work students.
• Is mindful of keeping their supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility.
• Will enter all Veteran contact, including with Veteran's stakeholders, in the electronic medical record using appropriate formats and templates. Information will be entered in a complete, confidential and professional manner.
• Is able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with Veterans, VA employees and other stakeholders within the VA and the community.
• Will attend all appropriate staff meetings to include, but not limited to, PCMHI team meetings, Psychology Service meetings, Social Work discipline specific meetings, and other committee and workgroups, as appropriate.
• Will participate in activities that obtain feedback from Veterans and the workplace, in order to enhance services.
• Is responsible for furthering one's own professional growth through continuing education and for ensuring continuing education appropriate to the area of assignment.
• Is able to demonstrate knowledge and skill in the use of software applications for drafting documents and data management as well as other computer systems in use by the VHA.
• Is able to maintain a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standards, Joint Commission standards, and facility standards.
• Other duties as assigned as determined by the direct supervisor, Chief of Psychology Service, and/or the Executive Leadership Team of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30pm
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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 may 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.

Qualifications

Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
Education and/or Experience Combination -
You must possess 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.

Licensure Requirement: You 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 must be able to provide supervision for licensure.


Experience Requirement: You must possess 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. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment.

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• 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 causations 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.

Physical Requirements:
Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others.
Position requires standing for extended periods of time and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary team.
This position requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

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.