Senior Social Worker (Mhtc) – EDRP, Recruitment/Relocation Incentive Authorized

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This announcement will remain open until filled.
• The first cutoff for consideration is 07/06/2026.
• Additional applications will be referred as needed.
• The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns.
• Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to BHIP social work services.
• The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to
• Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and resources to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality.
• The Senior Social Worker as BHIP Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) is responsible for various aspects of assessing, diagnosis, treating, and coordinating the treatment of Veterans within BHIP and the Mental Health Service Line.
• This includes, but is not limited to, providing services through the telehealth modality across several sites of care with the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VATVCBHCS).
• The senior social worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff.
• They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services.
• This assignment is to be relatively few in numbers based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management.
• This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation.
• Duties are continued in the Education section of this announcement.
• Work Schedule: M-F, 0800
• 1630 Recruitment Incentives.
• Recruitment incentives may be authorized to full-time, part time[,] or intermittent individuals in their first appointment as a Federal employee or to a newly appointed former Federal employee with at least a 90-day break in service Relocation Incentives.
• Relocation incentives may be authorized to full-time Federal employees who must change worksite[s] and physically relocate to a different geographic area when the approving official determines that without the incentive, it would be difficult to fill the position with a high-quality candidate.
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact the EDRP Coordinator at VISN17EDRP2@va.gov for questions/assistance.
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad/Hoc Telework is available.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 53953F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

• 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 will 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
• 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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. Note: If your school was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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. Duties Continued: The Senior Social Worker provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services which requires advanced and expert 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 psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of Veterans with a range of DSM diagnoses, substance abuse/dependence, and poly-traumatic injuries. serves as the primary licensed independent clinician to meet the same day access, and crisis intervention needs of Veterans requesting mental health care. This includes conducting the same day evaluation through telehealth modalities, in-person, or by telephone, according to policy, provides a diagnosis and provisional treatment plan. serves as core member of the BHIP team, actively engages in huddles, team meetings, conferences, strategic planning, treatment planning discussions, and training meetings working toward the shared purpose of the team goals and Veteran mental health care coordination. provides initial and ongoing assessment of needs and completes comprehensive psychological intake evaluations for coverage or mental health updates, including diagnosis, to Veterans in BHIP. In addition, comprehensive chart reviews, completion of consults, referrals, and psychoeducation related to resources for self-management, whole health, and linkages to the community available for Veterans and families. Serves as advocate for Veterans and serves an ongoing point of contact and clinical resource for Veterans receiving mental health services. ensures mental health treatment for Veterans within BHIP and the care continuity between levels of care. Has the primary responsibility of MH Care Coordination on the team, across the continuum of specialty MH care, and participates in care planning to ensure integration of care coordination within the overall care plan. conducts risk evaluation, treatment, care coordination, or referrals for Veterans within BHIP, including those who are in the COMPACT Act, Post-discharge engagement, REACHVet program, and those with a High Risk for Suicide Patient Record Flag. Collaborates with Suicide Prevention, other care coordinators/ managers and Mental Health providers to identify Veterans at risk for suicide and others with complex needs to increase monitoring or enhance care with targeted suicide prevention strategies as indicated. actively monitors clinic availability, dashboards, and panel size of all BHIP team members in order to be able to coordinate the flow of patient care amongst BHIP teams and BHIP team members. This includes knowledge of availability of specialty mental health services, as well as working actively with program support staff to ensure that team assignments in the Patient Care Management Module (PCMM) are accurate and up to date. is responsible for completing the second-level social work assessment of Digital Divide Consults submitted by BHIP or other Mental Health providers. may serve as the representative for Psychology Service on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups as assigned. maintains an understanding of mental health treatment goals and interventions, acts as point of contact, care coordination, and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team to ensure regular specialty mental health engagement of Veterans assigned to the MHTC, provides Veteran/family education, self-management resources, completion of care coordination needs assessment, provision of mental health care coordination; monitoring and adjusting plan as needed, and supporting evaluation of mental health care coordination. provides transition of care hand off, through written communication in the electronic health record, and/or submission of relevant consults. provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective practice skills. In addition, there may be opportunities to teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area of practice. expands clinical knowledge in the profession, demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs. assists in drafting policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program.

Benefits

This position is posted to multiple occupations. Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (BHIP Mental Health Treatment Coordinator) CAZM-12929525-26-KS: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/863998800 Senior Social Worker (BHIP Mental Health Treatment Coordinator) CAZM-12995916-26-JH:

Required Documents

• To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
• Resume Special Note for
• Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
• The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former
• Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License
• Resume/CV Other (2) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript