Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS announcement that will remain open until the position is filled or 09/30/2026 for a Senior Social Worker assigned to the Mental Health Service Line for the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston - SC. This position serves as the chair for the Disruptive Behavior Committee (DBC) program.

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
• Education: Must 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
• A copy of transcripts must be submitted with your application package to verify that you meet the education requirements - unless you are qualifying under the Granfathering Provision
• 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/
• NOTE: Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protection
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
• GRADE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking - sitting - talking - driving - use of the telephone - etc
• Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their day-to-day activities
• There is ongoing exposure to individuals having psychiatric and physical illness and disabilities
• These include violent or aggressive behavior and chronic psychiatric and medical problems
• Light lifting - under 15 pounds - Light carrying - under 15 pounds - Hearing (aid permitted).

Duties

• This announcement is an Open Continuous Announcement and will remain open until all position is filled
• The first cut-off will be on or about 01/07/2026
• Applications received after this will be sent to management upon request until the position is fulfilled
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major duties for this position may include (but are not limited to): Conducts comprehensive Social Work assessments and identifies individualized treatment goals
• Acts as a consultant for the MHSL for specialist - discipline-specific psychosocial assessment - intervention - and community-based knowledge and skills
• Develops - initiates - implements - and reviews psychosocial treatment plans based on assessed needs
• Makes psychosocial diagnoses and appropriate evidence-based interventions with measurable outcomes
• Provides education to patients - family members - and significant others
• Provides consultation to professional staff within the VA Medical Center and to community providers - concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate treatment plans
• Functions independently as a member of the Medical Staff - with full clinical privileges
• Complies with national and local performance measures - including timely health care screenings and completion of clinical reminders
• Complies with all medical documentation rules and regulations
• Lead a team of administrative and clinical executives such as the Chief of Staff - Chief of Police - Regional Counsel - Patient Safety - and Mental Health to assess - triage - and manage patient-generated disruptive behavior
• Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Disruptive Behavior Committee
• Utilizes experience in forensic assessment and management of violence risk
• Independently conducts violence risk assessments and provide guidance to Committee members
• Completes documentation of committee activities - including agenda and minutes and follow-up on all committee recommended actions
• Serves as a consultant to facility staff in the evaluation of violence risk and the implementation of risk mitigation strategies
• Coordinates quality improvement projects around patient behavior
• Manages computer-based flagging systems for identifying violent or dangerous Veteran patients
• Responds to all VISN and Central Office requests for information about DBC operations or disruptive behavior incidents
• Adheres to DBC guidelines established by the national WVPP Program Office
• Attends and participates in DBC conferences and conference calls
• Implements - educates - trains - and updates local Disruptive Behavior Committee policies and procedures
• Coordinates and collaborates with legal representatives - US Department of Veterans Affairs office of the Inspector General - court officials including the Assistant US Attorney - police (VA and community) - and community providers
• Performs other assigned duties as necessary
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00 AM-4:30 PM EST
• Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 58098F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: None EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized