Carolinas MGMA is hiring: Senior Social Worker in Waynesville

Overview

This co-located collaborative care position is in the Behavioral Health Service Line with primary assignment to the Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) Program - located within primary care with work completed at one of the CBOCs associated with Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran's Hospital (Truman VA). The PCMHI Senior Social Worker functions as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team and delivers brief consultation-based services to Veterans and primary care providers.

Responsibilities

• PCMHI Clinical Practice Management: Conduct functional assessments with 30-minute appointments and triage/refer to specialty care services as appropriate.
• Apply population-based care principles, define roles, and rapidly identify problems within the primary care context.
• Use brief assessments routinely (e.g., clinical reminders, PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT-C, etc.).
• Conduct suicide assessment and safety planning for high-risk veterans in accordance with VA policy and procedures.
• Assist in accessing care for Veterans who need psychiatric stabilization.
• Initial consultation appointments are based on functional assessments and focus on functional outcomes.
• Maintain daily open access slots and provide brief mental health and behavioral interventions (typically 1-6 sessions) for a broad range of concerns.
• Use time-limited, evidence-based interventions that are simple and concrete; teach and encourage self-management and home-based practice, including use of VA and other mobile apps.
• Employ intermittent visit strategies and flexible patient contact methods; triage appropriately and efficiently to specialty mental health services.
• Provide leadership and collaboration within the treatment team to ensure equitable access, quality care, and service improvement.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Doctoral degree may not substitute for the MSW.
• Licensure/Certification: Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s level; advanced practice licensure required for Senior Social Worker, including potential supervision responsibilities for licensure.
• Experience/Knowledge: At least two years of post-advanced practice clinical licensure experience in a specialized area of social work; Senior Social Worker candidates may have certification or post-master’s training from a recognized organization, with demonstrated advanced practice skills and judgment.
• Demonstrated KSAs: proficiency in a range of specialized interventions, ability to incorporate complex causation in differential diagnosis and treatment, skill in measuring practice outcomes, capacity to provide specialized consultation, and ability to contribute to policy and practice guidelines in the service area.
• Assignments: Senior Social Workers typically hold leadership roles in major program areas and may have administrative responsibility for clinical program development; capable of supervising social work staff and functioning with limited onsite supervision in some settings such as CBOCs or satellite clinics.
• Other requirements: English language proficiency; physical requirements per VA Directive and Handbook 5019; compliance with VA policies.

Additional Information

• Remote/On-site: This assignment commonly requires work in clinical settings with occasional need for onsite supervision at CBOCs or satellite clinics.
• References: VA Handbook 5005/23 – Part II – Appendix G39 – Social Worker Qualification Standard.
• Full performance level: GS-12; actual grade may be GS-12 depending on qualifications.
• Work Schedule: Typically Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm. See vacancy notice for any schedule variations or accommodations.
• Benefits: EDRP eligible (Education Debt Reduction Program); details and eligibility are specified by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office.