U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Senior Social Worker- Pain Management
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Senior Social Worker — Pain Management
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Wilkes‑Barre VAMC Pain Management Clinic.
Base Pay Range $88,621.00/yr – $115,213.00/yr
Summary The Senior Social Worker practices within the Wilkes‑Barre VAMC Pain Management Clinic, providing inpatient and outpatient services. These services include intake, assessment, case management, advocacy, treatment, coordination of care, and discharge planning with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies as needed and directed by the Veteran. The Senior Social Worker serves a patient population with highly complex pain, mental health, and substance‑use comorbidities.
Qualifications
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: Written and Spoken.
Physical Standards: All applicants must meet the physical standards for the position; a physical examination prior to employment may be required.
Qualifications Requirement: Meets the qualification standard for the GS‑12 Senior Social Worker as defined in VA Handbook 5005 – Part II Appendix G39 – Social Worker Qualification Standard GS‑185 Veteran Health Administration.
Social Worker – GS‑12 Experience and Licensure.
Candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure, with at least one year at the GS‑11 grade level.
Senior social workers must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, and be experts in their specialized area of practice.
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.
Licensure/Certification: Must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless grandfathered by the state (except for California).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Must demonstrate skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations; ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment; knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services using outcome evaluations; ability to provide specialized consultation and role‑model effective social work practice skills; ability to expand clinical knowledge, write policies, procedures, and practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
Duties
Provide advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations, including individual, group, and family counseling or psychotherapy, and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions.
Develop and implement methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in chronic pain and cancer‑related pain utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
Design changes based on empirical findings and offer consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment of patients in the specialty area.
Teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
Work independently as a member of a Pain Team, using clinical experience, VA policies, and TJC standards to administer direct services.
Provide supportive counseling and case management services to reduce Veteran stress and maximize psychosocial wellbeing throughout all phases of treatment.
Incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges.
Develop treatment plans collaboratively with the veteran/family and interdisciplinary treatment team; review and reassess plans as appropriate.
Perform specific tasks such as: assess patient understanding of diagnoses and treatments, educate on coping strategies, assess treatment options considering work‑family obligations, actively participate in the facility Pain Management Review Team, provide referrals and linkage to community agencies, counsel individuals and families or refer to specialized mental health providers, facilitate communication between treatment team, Veteran, and family, provide education on benefits and transportation, participate in high‑risk and overdose review teams, coordinate substance use disorder services, and address impacts of chronic pain on life issues.
Participate in and conduct meetings with community partners and case managers in the community and at the medical center.
Educate medical and mental health providers and staff regarding the role of the social worker in the Pain Clinic and related treatment areas.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Preferred Experience Working in a team environment on a medical team as a social worker; pain management experience.
Work Schedule 08:00 am – 04:30 pm, Monday – Friday.
Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level.
Employment Type Full‑time.
Job Function Other.
Industries Government Administration.
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Base Pay Range $88,621.00/yr – $115,213.00/yr
Summary The Senior Social Worker practices within the Wilkes‑Barre VAMC Pain Management Clinic, providing inpatient and outpatient services. These services include intake, assessment, case management, advocacy, treatment, coordination of care, and discharge planning with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies as needed and directed by the Veteran. The Senior Social Worker serves a patient population with highly complex pain, mental health, and substance‑use comorbidities.
Qualifications
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: Written and Spoken.
Physical Standards: All applicants must meet the physical standards for the position; a physical examination prior to employment may be required.
Qualifications Requirement: Meets the qualification standard for the GS‑12 Senior Social Worker as defined in VA Handbook 5005 – Part II Appendix G39 – Social Worker Qualification Standard GS‑185 Veteran Health Administration.
Social Worker – GS‑12 Experience and Licensure.
Candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure, with at least one year at the GS‑11 grade level.
Senior social workers must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, and be experts in their specialized area of practice.
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.
Licensure/Certification: Must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless grandfathered by the state (except for California).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Must demonstrate skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations; ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment; knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services using outcome evaluations; ability to provide specialized consultation and role‑model effective social work practice skills; ability to expand clinical knowledge, write policies, procedures, and practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
Duties
Provide advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations, including individual, group, and family counseling or psychotherapy, and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions.
Develop and implement methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in chronic pain and cancer‑related pain utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
Design changes based on empirical findings and offer consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment of patients in the specialty area.
Teach and mentor staff and students in the specialty area and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
Work independently as a member of a Pain Team, using clinical experience, VA policies, and TJC standards to administer direct services.
Provide supportive counseling and case management services to reduce Veteran stress and maximize psychosocial wellbeing throughout all phases of treatment.
Incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges.
Develop treatment plans collaboratively with the veteran/family and interdisciplinary treatment team; review and reassess plans as appropriate.
Perform specific tasks such as: assess patient understanding of diagnoses and treatments, educate on coping strategies, assess treatment options considering work‑family obligations, actively participate in the facility Pain Management Review Team, provide referrals and linkage to community agencies, counsel individuals and families or refer to specialized mental health providers, facilitate communication between treatment team, Veteran, and family, provide education on benefits and transportation, participate in high‑risk and overdose review teams, coordinate substance use disorder services, and address impacts of chronic pain on life issues.
Participate in and conduct meetings with community partners and case managers in the community and at the medical center.
Educate medical and mental health providers and staff regarding the role of the social worker in the Pain Clinic and related treatment areas.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Preferred Experience Working in a team environment on a medical team as a social worker; pain management experience.
Work Schedule 08:00 am – 04:30 pm, Monday – Friday.
Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level.
Employment Type Full‑time.
Job Function Other.
Industries Government Administration.
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