Social Worker (ACOS Mental Health)

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. Licensure: Candidate must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Education: Master’s degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master’s degree in social work. Grade Determinations: GS-14 Social Worker (Service Chief) Experience/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-master’s 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, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice. Skill in developing, maintaining, and managing social work services in multiple divisions/sections. Ability to ensure compliance with social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care. Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements. Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements. 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. At the GS-14 grade level, size, scope, significance and impact are greater than the GS-13 grade level. The chief social worker responsibility includes management of large, complex, social work services within the organization. The chief social worker is the highest level professional position at the facility with responsibility for the professional practice of all facility social workers and provision of social work services. The chief social worker provides supervision to social work service, with multiple sections or programs across the health care delivery system as well as an assistant chief and supervisors. Social work service includes staff members of different grades, as well as multiple disciplines, various treatment sites and at locations close to and distant from the medical center. The chief social worker has full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of social work service operations including clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management and supervision of the service.] Preferred Experience: Three years supervisory experience in a Mental Health or healthcare setting. 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: Physical demands required are essentially non-strenuous and include prolonged sitting, occasional extended mobility to various areas of the facility, standing, bending and the incumbent may be required to lift light office items and files not exceeding 25 lbs.
The incumbent serves as the Associate Chief of Staff of the Mental Health (ACOS MH) for the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS). This position reports directly to the Chief of Staff (COS). They will be responsible for setting overall goals for the Mental Health Care Line that comply and support Veterans Administration (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and VASDHS strategic goals & objectives.