Senior Social Worker

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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.

WhatToExpectNext

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

PositionSensitivitiy

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

JobSummary

The incumbent in this position functions as the Senior Social Worker on the Inpatient Mental Health Unit at the Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC, within VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS), Department of Veterans Affairs. The incumbent provides programmatic, compliance, and clinical services for the inpatient social work team, involving direct patient services and representation of the Inpatient Mental Health Unit within the VA and the community.

HighGrade

12

ServiceType

02

SecurityClearance

Other

OrganizationCodes

VA/VATA

Relocation

False

AgencyMarketingStatement

Interested in a career that offers a balance of work and family life? Look no further! The VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) offers a balance of professional and clinical complexity that stimulates growth yet also allows the professional an opportunity to enjoy life outside of work. If you are interested in a career that offers an integrated patient-centered approach while providing compassionate and state of the art care to Veterans, we welcome you to apply. By serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans, we fulfill President Lincoln's promise, "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan." The new, state of the art campus is in Aurora, CO, just east of Denver. The city's central location makes it ideal for accessing the surrounding mountain ranges for outdoor activities or enjoying the rich art and cultural diversity of the area. Denver Metro offers a perfect mix of social activity, modern businesses, and family life making it an ideal location to start a career, raise a family, or ease into retirement. ECHCS offers a teaching hospital with state-of-the-art technology, education, and research, making it an ideal career choice for many clinical and administrative professionals. The facility has numerous specialized programs in addition to the comprehensive health care provided to our Veterans.

Benefits

RequiredDocuments

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 Document. 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 Other (1) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript

OtherInformation

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. 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. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (or the Act) prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from requesting applicant criminal history record information before extending a conditional or tentative offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S.C § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged non-compliance to VA at [email protected]. Applicant written complaints should include the following: Administration name: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office name, employee name and contact information or contractor who made contact (if known). Date of contact. Details regarding the job opportunity announcement applied to, and copies of any documents or other evidence related to the complaint. Visit Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) for more information.

KeyRequirements

DrugTestRequired

False

HiringPath

• fed-competitive
• fed-excepted
• fed-internal-search

MajorDuties

• The incumbent is an assigned case manager for Veterans admitted to the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (H2-IPU) and performs complex and independent services including evaluation of needs, connection to resources, disposition and discharge planning, recovery-based treatment planning, advanced safety planning for suicide prevention, facilitating unit recovery programming, gathering collateral data from families, and assisting with regulatory compliance aspects of quality assurance for care provided. The incumbent must be skilled in working on and with an interdisciplinary team, for the purpose of patient care and program development. Compliance includes but is not limited to Joint Commission and Office of Behavioral Health for the inpatient unit. The Senior Social Worker provides programmatic coordination and clinical leadership to social workers within a complex inpatient setting. The Senior Social Worker also provides clinical psychosocial treatment and case management services at an advanced practice level to eligible veterans and their family members. Patient's healthcare and psychosocial problems are complex, may include comorbid medical and substance use concerns, and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem-solving. The Senior Social Worker must be able to provide supervision for subordinate staff needing to qualify for licensure. The incumbent assists in planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures for staff operations; developing individual or group goals and objectives. The incumbent will be responsible for disseminating policies and procedures to the social work team; to aid adherence to all current directives of VHA, current Joint Commission standards, State licensure standards, and VA-OIG standards set by governing bodies. As a Senior Social Worker, the incumbent assists the Acute Programs Coordinator in planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures, as needed. The incumbent tracks and adheres to all current directives of VHA and meets current Joint Commission as well as Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards, state licensure standards, and VA-OIG expectations. The incumbent can be asked to assist with any or all the following: 1. Assist with ongoing intensive reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies. 2. Assist with compliance audits. 3. Develop individual, group and program goals and objectives. 4. Manage and control the use of data related to the program regarding day to day functioning for the purpose of process improvement. 5. Plan, organize and directs program operations, clinical practice, and patient activities for the program. 6. Assist in the identification of qualified MSW candidates for vacant positions and ongoing clinical support and consultation to social work staff on the Inpatient Mental Health Unit. 7. Develop policies and procedures for in the Inpatient Mental Health Unit. 8. Collect and report data related to staffing and resource allocation. 9. The incumbent performs other related duties as assigned. The Incumbent will be trained to cover the Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) clinic in the Rocky Mountain Regional Emergency Department (RMR ED) and may be deployed as needed to that area to complete crisis evaluations and admission assessments if H2-IPU capacity allows doing so safely and there is a critical staffing gap in PES. The Senior Social Worker demonstrates an ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, provide consultation and guidance to colleagues, role model effective social work practice skills, teach or provide orientation to less experienced Social Workers, develop innovations in practice interventions, and provide clinical supervision for social work licensure. The Senior Social Worker adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. The incumbent is responsible to the Acute Programs Coordinator, who in turn is responsible to the Section Chief of Behavioral Medicine, Acute and Residential Mental Health Services (BAR). There is matrix collaboration with the Chief of Social Work Service. She/he practices independently, exercising initiative and independent judgment in day-to-day activities. Supervision/consultation is of an administrative and professional nature; with the BAR Section providing guidelines as to the general policy and direction of the program the incumbent coordinates. In unusual and/or complex administrative and social work practice problems, the incumbent initiates consultation with the Chief, Social Work Service, as well as with other authoritative resources at the Medical Center. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Telework: Available Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: SW-CLINPT-GS0185-12FS55304-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

CommuteDistance

0

AdjudicationType

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

LowGrade

12

MCOTags

Evaluations

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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.

AgencyContactEmail

[email protected]

TravelCode

0

WithinArea

False

AgencyContactPhone

719-227-4600

TotalOpenings

2

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

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

HowToApply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/07/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12953275. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

AnnouncementClosingType

01

PromotionPotential

12