Senior Social Worker (Psychiatric Emergency Services PES and Same Day Access SDA)

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 Functions Provide a full range of services within the Social Work Scope of Practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level, and preferences for care.
• Provide consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources, Advance Directives, VA benefits, budgeting, activities of daily living, and recovery goals.
• Act as a consultant to other team/staff members and take a lead clinical role in case consultation.
• Document all Veteran care in the electronic health record.
• Ensure compliance with standards and expectations of Joint Commission, CARF, and other relevant accrediting bodies.
• Assist program leadership in accreditation preparation and continuous readiness activities as requested.
• Actively participate in program planning and development, advising the supervisor of shifting Veteran care needs and identifying the need for SOP or policy changes.
• Provide supervision to students, interns, or unlicensed Social Workers.
• Maintain familiarity and responsibility for all behavioral health performance measures.
• Assist in development and maintenance of operational plans and strategic goals related to these measures.
• Responsible for participation and leadership in process improvement, system redesign, and/or other applicable workgroups and committees, to include creation of standard work documents or strategic plan implementation.
• Take responsibility for improving professional competencies by participating training programs and continuing education.
• Complete all mandatory VA trainings in a timely manner.
• Provide training, education, and consultation to trainees, VA staff, and community partners as a subject matter expert in specialized practice area(s).
• Triage Veterans in SDA walk-in clinic, PES, and via phone/triage tool, and refer Veterans to needed VA and Community mental health and primary care and resources.
• Provide psychosocial and brief diagnostic assessments for Veterans with a broad range of mental health needs; assessing suicide risk and acuity, and creating safe connections to care based on Veteran needs, acuity level and preferences for care Refer to involuntary and voluntary mental health treatment, based on acuity and ability to safely connect to outpatient resources.
• Coordinate admissions to Inpatient Psychiatry; including tracking open beds, including Veterans in Psychiatric Emergency Services needing admission, pending inpatient psychiatry discharges, medical/surgical patients needing transfer to inpatient psychiatry, and Veterans in the community needing a transfer and admission at the Seattle VA.
• Demonstrate and use thorough knowledge of State laws regarding involuntary treatment and work closely with Designated Crisis Responders (DCRs) when appropriate.
• Serve as a consultant to team members, VA Staff, Community Partners and Veteran's existing outpatient providers and take a lead clinical role in case consultation.
• Provide training, education and consultation as a subject matter expert in specialized practice area(s).
• Clinically supervise students, interns and/or unlicensed staff on acute mental health assessments in both SDA and PES.
• Participate in facility committees relevant to Acute Mental Health.
• Provide training, education, and consultation to trainees, VA staff, and community partners related to specialized practice areas as a subject matter expert.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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.
• Child Care 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: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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 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.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Required Documents

Prepare the documents below before applying. Always confirm the exact requirements on the official announcement, since they vary by position:

• NOTE: THE 2-PAGE RESUME REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE BELOW.
• 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.
• 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 (VA) License Full resume with no page limits Other (2) Other (3) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Resume Reminder- Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g.
• June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume.
• Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
• Failure to provide this information will result in resume disqualification and non- referral.
• Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications.