Senior Social Worker - Veterans Justice Outreach and Healthcare for Re-entry Veterans
The Veterans Justice Outreach and Healthcare Re-entry Veterans (HCRV) Social Worker is a Senior Social Worker whose primary responsibilities are to provide psychosocial assessments, case management services, continuous quality Improvement activities. evaluation/consultation, placement services, and referral and linkage to various community agencies for Veterans who are within 6 months of release from correctional institutions and/or are being monitored by the courts, including treatment or problem solving courts. The Justice Outreach Social Worker is administratively responsible for clinical programming and daily operation of the program, as well as the management of program data. Justice outreach activity will focus upon justice-involved Veterans in one of three circumstances:
at the front end of the justice system (jails or courts) (VJO); upon prison reentry (HCRV); or a hybrid model encompassing Jail, court and prison outreach (hybrid VJO/HCRV). The Senior Social Worker In this position requires an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of the services and benefits available from community, State and Federal agencies. The Senior Social Worker must have skill in diplomacy, patient advocacy, and negotiation in spanning boundaries of multiple large Institutions, including VA, the courts, and/or corrections. The position requires knowledge of correctional cultures and their impact upon Veteran, institutional, and community perceptions and behavior, as well as skill in assisting Veterans to adopt behaviors adaptive to community living. The incumbent must be able to obtain security clearance to enter court and correctional facilities. Functions:
Program Coordination:
Meets with judges, officers of the court, correctional administrators and staff on a regular basis to design and/or maintain appropriate policies and procedures required for each setting. Collaborates with other Justice Outreach clinicians to support engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from correctional institutions. Outreach:
Required to conduct active outreach to Veterans involved with the justice system, including those who may be participants, or candidates for participation, in treatment court programs, including Veterans Courts. This outreach may also include field interviews, assessments and referrals for Veterans contacted in community settings, courts and/or prior to release in jails or prisons, as well as those referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. Clinical Assessment:
Identifies and interviews justice-involved Veterans in the appropriate setting to conduct needs assessment and determine appropriate referrals, linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance function in the community, including in transition from jail or prison. Establishes a relationship with correctional medical and psychiatric leadership and personnel, where appropriate, to ensure continuity of care and for appropriate back up, if needed, when encountering Veterans in a correctional institution. Comprehensive Case Management:
Functions as an ongoing case manager for justice involved Veterans who are being monitored by treatment courts (and as needed for Veterans released from correctional institutions) by performing duties to facilitate independent community living by coordinating mental health and community care. Participates as an active member of the court treatment team, providing or coordinating the provision of clinical treatment using evidence-based models appropriate to the justice-involved Veteran population. Direct Services:
Participates in development of a treatment plan for each Veteran contacted through outreach. Conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues. Evaluation, Education, Supervision, Coaching and Mentoring:
Stays abreast of current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals and other relevant publications, and attending conferences, clinic seminars and teleconferences. Evaluates his/her practice on an ongoing basis through participation In professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means. Work Schedule:
Full-time, Monday-Friday 8:
00 am-4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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:
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:
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. Preferred
Experience:
Previous experience working with Veterans and mental health services. All employees must:
Show a commitment to VHA:
Applicants should demonstrate interest in a rewarding career working for VHA Provide Excellent Customer Service:
Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures- handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Must be able to accept criticism and maintain a calm demeanor in stressful situations. Demonstrate Communication Skills and Leadership Qualities:
Candidates must have a talent for communication and demonstrate potential for leadership. These qualities are essential for positions employed at VHA facilities. Grade Determinations:
Specialized
Experience:
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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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. References:
VA HANDBOOK 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39; A copy is available in your local Human Resources office. Physical Requirements:
Work is primarily sedentary. Typically the employee will sit to do the work. However, there may be some walking standing, bending, carrying of light items, accessing transportation, and/or driving a government vehicle. The work requires patience and control of emotions. Work may be performed in maximum, medium, or minimum security correctional institutions usually under a no hostage policy. The work environment may involve unclean settings. There is ongoing exposure to individuals with psychiatric and physical illnesses and disabilities, which can include acute infections, violent or aggressive behavior, or chronic psychiatric and medical problems. Local travel daily. No overnight travel. Travel consists of 50% or more time of the position.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
at the front end of the justice system (jails or courts) (VJO); upon prison reentry (HCRV); or a hybrid model encompassing Jail, court and prison outreach (hybrid VJO/HCRV). The Senior Social Worker In this position requires an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of the services and benefits available from community, State and Federal agencies. The Senior Social Worker must have skill in diplomacy, patient advocacy, and negotiation in spanning boundaries of multiple large Institutions, including VA, the courts, and/or corrections. The position requires knowledge of correctional cultures and their impact upon Veteran, institutional, and community perceptions and behavior, as well as skill in assisting Veterans to adopt behaviors adaptive to community living. The incumbent must be able to obtain security clearance to enter court and correctional facilities. Functions:
Program Coordination:
Meets with judges, officers of the court, correctional administrators and staff on a regular basis to design and/or maintain appropriate policies and procedures required for each setting. Collaborates with other Justice Outreach clinicians to support engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from correctional institutions. Outreach:
Required to conduct active outreach to Veterans involved with the justice system, including those who may be participants, or candidates for participation, in treatment court programs, including Veterans Courts. This outreach may also include field interviews, assessments and referrals for Veterans contacted in community settings, courts and/or prior to release in jails or prisons, as well as those referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. Clinical Assessment:
Identifies and interviews justice-involved Veterans in the appropriate setting to conduct needs assessment and determine appropriate referrals, linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance function in the community, including in transition from jail or prison. Establishes a relationship with correctional medical and psychiatric leadership and personnel, where appropriate, to ensure continuity of care and for appropriate back up, if needed, when encountering Veterans in a correctional institution. Comprehensive Case Management:
Functions as an ongoing case manager for justice involved Veterans who are being monitored by treatment courts (and as needed for Veterans released from correctional institutions) by performing duties to facilitate independent community living by coordinating mental health and community care. Participates as an active member of the court treatment team, providing or coordinating the provision of clinical treatment using evidence-based models appropriate to the justice-involved Veteran population. Direct Services:
Participates in development of a treatment plan for each Veteran contacted through outreach. Conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues. Evaluation, Education, Supervision, Coaching and Mentoring:
Stays abreast of current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals and other relevant publications, and attending conferences, clinic seminars and teleconferences. Evaluates his/her practice on an ongoing basis through participation In professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means. Work Schedule:
Full-time, Monday-Friday 8:
00 am-4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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:
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:
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. Preferred
Experience:
Previous experience working with Veterans and mental health services. All employees must:
Show a commitment to VHA:
Applicants should demonstrate interest in a rewarding career working for VHA Provide Excellent Customer Service:
Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures- handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Must be able to accept criticism and maintain a calm demeanor in stressful situations. Demonstrate Communication Skills and Leadership Qualities:
Candidates must have a talent for communication and demonstrate potential for leadership. These qualities are essential for positions employed at VHA facilities. Grade Determinations:
Specialized
Experience:
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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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. References:
VA HANDBOOK 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39; A copy is available in your local Human Resources office. Physical Requirements:
Work is primarily sedentary. Typically the employee will sit to do the work. However, there may be some walking standing, bending, carrying of light items, accessing transportation, and/or driving a government vehicle. The work requires patience and control of emotions. Work may be performed in maximum, medium, or minimum security correctional institutions usually under a no hostage policy. The work environment may involve unclean settings. There is ongoing exposure to individuals with psychiatric and physical illnesses and disabilities, which can include acute infections, violent or aggressive behavior, or chronic psychiatric and medical problems. Local travel daily. No overnight travel. Travel consists of 50% or more time of the position.
- Department:
0185 Social Work - Salary Range:
$76,721 to $99,741 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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