Social Worker-Mental Health Outpatient and Access Clinic

Social Worker-Mental Health Outpatient and Access Clinic

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Jackson, Mississippi

Salary Range: $89508 - $116362 Per Year

Job Summary: This Social Worker will provide expert clinical and care coordination services to Veterans served by the VA Medical Center's interdisciplinary Mental Health Outpatient and Access Clinic (MHOPAC). This position serves as a key member of a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team and is responsible for providing evidence-based assessment and psychotherapy services for Veterans experiencing moderate to severe mental health concerns.

Major Duties:

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties for this position include, but are not limited to: Completes clinical and psychosocial assessments and screenings identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, abilities and preferences. Uses advanced clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Assesses high risk factors, including suicidal and homicidal ideation, as well as acute needs for VHA or community-based services. Provides crisis intervention, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary treatment team, for Veterans who are experiencing severe social or mental health crises Develops and updates treatment plan(s) using required documentation and within established timeframes and based on clinical need and person-centered treatment goals. Demonstrates a detailed knowledge of VHA programs and community services, to meet the needs of Veterans. Complete all documentation in the electronic medical record within established timeframes. Completes Advance Directives / Living Will and will refer Veterans / families to the appropriate service provider for identified health education needs. Provides motivational enhancement activities to prepare Veterans to participate in clinically appropriate care Provides evidence-based psychotherapy services for Veterans with a wide range of mental and behavioral health conditions Leads in-person and telemental health psychotherapeutic groups Provides outreach services for the MH-OPAC program in the community. Provides training for other members of a multidisciplinary treatment team and facility in areas related to mental health access and levels of care. Provides liaison services with other programs referring to MH-OPAC Veterans to ensure engagement in MH services, access, continuity of care, and successful transition of Veterans from one program or level of care to another. Responsible for the collection of data and for reviewing the data to improve performance and delivery of services to MH-OPAC Veterans. Provides recovery-oriented treatment with the goal of establishing the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning and quality of life. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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: Available. Ad Hoc only, as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 586-00402-F. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). NOTE: 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 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 master's degree level. NOTE: Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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 Determination. Senior Social Worker, GS-12: (1) Experience/Education. The candidate must have 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. Experience at the GS11 grade level include: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. 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. (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. Preferred Experience: Experience providing evidence-based psychotherapies for major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, PTSD, borderline personality disorder, and suicidal behavior. Experience with differential diagnosis of trauma and stressor-related disorders, anxiety disorders, personality, and mood disorders Experience providing episodes of evidence-based psychotherapy as a part of a an interdisciplinary mental health team. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

How to Apply: 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 03/30/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12916838. 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.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-30