Assistant Chief of Mental Health – Social Worker

Summary OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincolns promise – “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan” – by serving and honoring the men and women who are Americas Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans? Responsibilities At Hines VA Hospital, the Asst. Chief of the MHSL oversees all clinical and administrative responsibilities of the MHSL. The Asst. Chief of the MHSL displays the ability to develop, maintain, and oversee mental health programs in all settings. This includes identifying needs for assessment, evaluation, and treatment; determining priority needs for mental health services; and recommending adjustments to staffing levels accordingly. The incumbent is the liaison with other Services and care lines, other facilities, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) offices, and VA Central Office. The Asst. Chief of the MHSL participates in the development and coordination of Hospital plan for patient care and is involved as a consultant in decisions where MHSL practice is impacted. The Asst. Chief of the MHSL has the ability to provide supervision for social work licensure and practice supervision for all facility social workers. Having direct and consultative authority, the Asst. Chief of the MHSL serves as a vital professional influence and resource to local leadership in their compliance with standards defined by accrediting organizations, such as The Joint Commission and Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm Telework: Available, Ad-Hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required VA Careers – Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhzuaUU Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to a background/security investigation Must be proficient in written and spoken English Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. English Language Proficiency :Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Have a masters 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 masters 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 masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-14 Grade Requirements: Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. The chief social work service must evidence possession of supervisory and management skills. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. May have certification or other post-masters degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Licensure/Certification: The chief social worker must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Skill in providing the full range of supervisory duties across multiple service divisions/sections, which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluation, selection of staff, and recommendations of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions. (b) Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice. (c) Skill in developing, maintaining, and managing social work services in multiple divisions/sections. (d) Ability to ensure compliance with social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care. (e) Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements. (f) Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements. Preferred Experience: Strong background in the delivery of Mental Health care much preferred. Management experience (preferably four years (or more) required. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 14. Physical Requirements: . See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. 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. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. This position is a FY25 VHA Shortage Occupation Approved for Waiver of Veterans Preference.