Senior Social Worker (Acute Mental Health ED)

Summary

The incumbent functions as a licensed clinical Senior Social Worker in the Acute Mental Health Section. The incumbent is assigned to provide appropriate clinical services including, but not limited to, assessing Veterans for a full spectrum of mental health and substance use disorders, conducting brief screening for such conditions, providing risk assessment and safety planning, and participating in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings to coordinate complex care.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The incumbent will provide advanced clinical social work services to Veterans presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with acute mental health, substance use, and complex psychosocial needs. Assess Veterans, provide crisis intervention, conduct suicide and violence risk assessments, develop safety plans, and coordinate appropriate treatment and disposition recommendations in collaboration with the team. The incumbent will participate in ED huddles, interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, and case consultations as appropriate to support coordination of care and continuity of services for Veterans. The incumbent will maintain effective communication with ED providers, psychiatry, nursing, and other clinical disciplines to address Veterans' immediate mental health and psychosocial needs. The incumbent will adhere to established ED, Mental Health Service, and VHA policies and procedures, ensuring timely and accurate clinical documentation in accordance with applicable standards. The incumbent will participate in required trainings, quality improvement activities, and clinical reviews as appropriate to maintain professional competencies and support the delivery of high-quality patient care. The incumbent will maintain responsibility for the quality, timeliness, and accuracy of their own clinical documentation and participate in clinical quality improvement initiatives as appropriate. The incumbent will utilize evidence-based practices, clinical judgment, and established VHA guidelines to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and improve outcomes for Veterans receiving emergency mental health services. The incumbent will collaborate with other disciplines, departments, and services to ensure continuity of care for Veterans served. The incumbent will identify barriers to treatment, address complex psychosocial needs, and coordinate appropriate referrals and follow-up services to support safe discharge planning and continuity of mental health care. The incumbent performs specialized treatment of complex physical and mental health conditions. The incumbent incorporates multiple contributing factors into the assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The incumbent independently performs case-finding functions, identifies and screens Veterans for psychosocial and mental health needs, and provides appropriate clinical interventions. The incumbent possesses the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, including crisis intervention, supportive counseling, brief psychotherapy, and other evidence-based interventions for individuals, families, and groups as clinically appropriate. The incumbent independently conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments and develops individualized treatment and safety plans in collaboration with Veterans, their families, and the interdisciplinary treatment team. The incumbent provides advanced psychosocial interventions, evaluates treatment responses, and adjusts interventions based on clinical presentation and identified needs. The incumbent coordinates community-based services, including referrals to other VA programs, government agencies, and community organizations. The incumbent assists Veterans with accessing appropriate mental health treatment, substance use services, housing resources, and other supportive services to address psychosocial barriers and promote continuity of care following discharge from the ED. The incumbent provides clinical consultation and professional input to interdisciplinary team members and colleagues regarding complex psychosocial issues, mental health crises, and appropriate treatment interventions. The incumbent shares specialized clinical knowledge and expertise to support effective patient-centered care and collaborative treatment planning. The incumbent may provide clinical guidance, education, and mentorship to social work colleagues, trainees, and students within their area of expertise, as appropriate. The incumbent demonstrates advanced clinical practice skills and serves as a professional resource without assuming responsibility for staff supervision, administrative oversight, or management of ED Social Work operations Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 5:00am - 5:30pm, every other Wednesday 5:00am - 1:30pm. (Subject to change based upon the needs of the agency.) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications and evaluation

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.

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.

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 10/23/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13092757. 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.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Transcript 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. DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Other (1) Professional Certification Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Additional information

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.