Summary

The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program Team (BHIP) is a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals and administrative staff that provide comprehensive accessible patient centered mental health care in partnership with the Veteran and the Veteran's significant other and/or family. The team manages - coordinates - and provides Veteran-centered - recovery-oriented - and evidence-based care that is consistent with the Veteran's identified treatment goals.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English
• 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
• Note: 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
• Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work 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
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above - the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade
• The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade
• Experience: 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 and 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
• 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: VA Regulations - specifically VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G-39 Social Worker Qualification Standard
• This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
• Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position - with or without reasonable accommodation - without hazard to themselves or others
• Depending on the essential duties of a specific position - usable vision - color vision - hearing or speech may be required
• However - in most cases - a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Duties

• Major duties include - but are not limited to: The incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - identify level of functioning - degree of impairment in occupational - social - academic - interpersonal and family
• Perform mental status exams (MSE)
• Identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions
• Possess knowledge of the criteria and state laws for legal commitment and involuntary hospitalizations
• Ability to assess and intervene with patients of suspected abuse
• Provide evidence based psychotherapy for individuals - families and groups
• Complete treatment plans using Mental Health Suites or as otherwise VA specified on all assigned patients
• Possesses working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures in working with diverse populations and circumstances
• This includes acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - psychiatric - medical and social problems - common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology
• The candidate must determine the presenting problem - determine in-home factors impacting the problem - and determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments
• Social work coordination with members of the treatment team is required - to ensure a collaborative effort to meet the treatment goals for a Veteran
• Responsible for monitoring high-risk patients on their team
• Works in collaboration with the Suicide prevention team and the Local Recovery Coordinator and will be well versed in suicide prevention SOPs
• Performs advanced level management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with poly-trauma injuries - spinal cord injuries - traumatic brain injuries - visual impairment - post-traumatic stress disorder - addictions - and serious mental illness
• Facilitate completion of advance directives and psychiatric advance directives with Veterans and their families
• Maintain familiarity with and support all VA performance measures that pertain to their practice
• Provides for Documentation per the SAVAHCS policies
• Documentation of staff interventions and activities in patients' clinical record {CPRS) and ensures appropriate hand off using SBAR when transferring patients care
• Document all contacts with patients/families in the medical charts per policy
• Completes all clinical reminders per policy
• Completes consults management per policy
• Completes statistical and other reports in accordance with the SAVAHCS and respective professional discipline service policies
• Collaborates with SAVAHCS multi-disciplinary teams and participates in committee assignments as requested by supervisor
• Collaborates with community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services for Veterans
• Responsible for supporting the mission - policies - and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs - the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and the Southern VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS)
• Willing to modify their tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on evenings and weekends
• **Preferred Experience: providing time-limited evidence-based psychotherapy - diagnosing mental health disorders - experience with adult outpatient psychiatry treating a variety of mental health issues - and working with Veteran and/or military populations
• training in Family Therapy AND/OR PTSD.** Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m
• to 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• work schedule - but work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the service
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required