Senior Social Worker - Substance Treatment Program Therapist

Summary This position is eligible for 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 your start date. 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. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Clinical Independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, psychosocial acuity, SUD and MH, problem identification, diagnosis, treatment planning, implementation, evaluation, and follow-up. Fully utilizes the current DSM in making diagnoses and formulation of treatment goals and application of appropriate clinical interventions. Delivers services both in-person and via telehealth technologies. Conducts groups as part of the IOP / OP and Aftercare program. Has specialized knowledge of a wide variety of individual, group, or family counseling interventions. Treatment approaches include but are not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing / Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Contingency Management, harm reduction, mindfulness-based relapse prevention, DBT, and Evidence-based Psychotherapies (EBPs) for PTSD (i.e., PE, CPT, EMDR). Establishes goals / treatment through a collaborative process with the patient, including evidence-based practices. Provides complex crisis intervention and stabilization to patients who are in psychological distress. Ability to assess and safety plan for suicidality. Possesses knowledge and understanding of existing relevant statutes, case laws, ethical codes, and regulations. Provides consultation to clinical staff regarding the same. Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Serves on an interdisciplinary team with focus on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and relational functioning of individuals, groups, and families and on the counseling approaches, strategies, and techniques that will best help patients function effectively. Complies with all EHRM documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g., entering diagnostic and procedure codes). Maintains appropriate records and follow-up data. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical recommendations and measurement based care for all patients. Complies with peer review procedures. Performs collateral duties as assigned. Administrative Acts as Liaison and Consultant between Wenatchee CBOC and SUD / MH services at Mann-Grandstaff sites of care. May also participate in outreach efforts or conduct trainings on MH and STP to other clinical teams. Provides asynchronous case management, care coordination, referral management, individual scheduling, and consultation with legal entities (i.e., Veteran's Justice Outreach, VA and non-VA residential treatment facilities). Provides leadership, staff development, and continued education opportunities. Maintains reference materials and documentation of policies. Provides oversight and supervision of EBPs provided by licensed and unlicensed MATs and SWs. Assists Specialty Mental Health Program Manager, STP Program Coordinator, and other BHS leaders with quality improvement and compliance with accreditation organizations and VA standards (CARF, Joint Commission, SAMSHA). Attends regular staff meetings in the SUD Specialty Clinic and Behavioral Health Service Line. Participates as a member of VA committees as directed. Attends monthly Evidenced Based care meetings, Communities of Practice meetings, SUD monthly national trainings, standard of practice meetings. Provides recommendations to supervisors of any clinical changes to policy and procedure and ability to design system changes based on data. Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8am-4 : 30pm. Recruitment Incentive : May be Authorized EDRP Authorized : Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions / assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station : Not Authorized 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 : AD-HOC Virtual : This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # : 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 (). 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. 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 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 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. 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 9 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. 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. Assignments : For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to : Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site; a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. 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 onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. 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 benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. 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 number 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. Preferred Experience : Experience with Veterans and substance use disorders. Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements : This work requires light lifting (under 15lbs), use of fingers, see computer screen, and hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental factors include working closely with others and working alone. 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 : 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 : Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.