NAELA's CareerCenter

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The incumbent functions as the Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist for the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Mental Health Service for the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program and Veterans Reintegration Program in Yuma, AZ. 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 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standards, GS-185, Veterans Health Administration. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers, and files. In carrying out responsibilities, it may be necessary to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, their families, representative of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. Must possess current driver's license and be able to drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU\n***Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized*** ***Telework available for highly qualified applicants***\nDuties include, but are not limited to: Build new relationships and expand existing relationships with community treatment court judges, court personnel, district attorneys, public defenders, and private attorneys to assist and serve Veterans involved in these court systems (Yuma County Veterans Treatment Court, Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Homeless Court) in determination of eligibility for benefits and services and linkage to VA and community services. Support existing Veterans Courts and take the initiative in the development of new Veterans Courts. With both existing and new courts, this shall include the provision of direct staffing support on Veterans' calendar days, liaison with all involved court and justice system personnel, and direct service to Veterans to include determination of eligibility for benefits and services, linkage to VA and community services, and case management and the provision of as needed evidence-based treatment services that cannot be provided otherwise in the community at-large or by the affiliated VA healthcare system. Build new relationships and expand existing relationships with community police forces, police-based Community Intervention Teams (CITs) and VA police forces serving the affiliated healthcare system. This will include but not be limited to arrangements for the provision of sensitivity to Veterans' issues and intervention with Veterans as well as active involvement in the further development of positive working relationships between community police, VA police and VA treatment providers and administrators. Conduct regular, ongoing outreach to selected jail facilities serving the catchment area of the affiliated healthcare system. This will include development of collaborative arrangements with county jail personnel involved in outside programming and re-entry services, arrangements for jail clearance for the VJO Specialist and other involved VA outreach staff and establishing a schedule of regular outreach to the facilities. Direct service to Veterans incarcerated in these jail facilities shall include determination of eligibility for benefits and services, linkage to VA and community services, and time-limited case management as necessary. Respond, as needed, to requests of jail and other justice system personnel to requests for outreach and re-entry services to Veterans incarcerated in other jail facilities in the catchment area of the affiliated healthcare system. This shall include the possibility of providing direct outreach to the facilities, but if not feasible, then the facilitation of re-entry planning and referral to VA services by phone and/or written communication. Maintain responsibility for direct documentation (CPRS and other local documentation systems) as well as ensure that other VA providers complete the necessary documentation for the above justice-related services. Complete VJO intakes in the Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES). Stay abreast of and maintain The Joint Commission (TJC) and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards of care. Oversee and insure that needed Release of Information forms are completed and that agreed upon letters and other documentation to be provided to the court system and Veterans/attorneys are completed. Participation in and local responsibility for program monitoring and evaluation conducted by Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). Participate in the monthly VISN-wide Veterans Justice Outreach conference call. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. work schedule, but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service.\nTelework: Available for highly qualified applicants\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]