The Social Work Executive is responsible for the strategic planning, administration, clinical supervision and operation of Social Work Services of more than 130 social workers in Finger Lakes Health Care System in the Bath and Canandaigua VA Medical Centers outpatient clinics in Rochester, Elmira, Wellsville NY and the rural health clinic in Wellsboro PA.
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. 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). 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. 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 Determinations GS 13: (1) Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. The social work executive 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. Candidates 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. Candidates 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. (2) Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as Social Worker Executive must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Preferred Characteristics: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to provide technical social work guidance in order to complete job assignments. (b) Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice. (c) Knowledge of social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care. (d) Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, care/product line managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements. (e) Skill in developing, implementing, and maintaining clinical social work practice standards. (f) Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, PART III, APPENDIX 39The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as employment condition.
Ensures the provision of social work services and/or case management services in a variety of inpatient and outpatient program areas and clinics; Incumbent is responsible for making decisions regarding work problems presented by subordinate social work supervisors; Participates in making selections for supervisory and non-supervisory positions, hear group grievances and serious employee complaints, review serious disciplinary cases (i.e., those proposing suspensions and removals), and disciplinary problems involving key employees; Provides information related to program elements being initiated, dropped, curtailed or emphasized regarding how many resources should be deployed; the time of curtailing, initiating, and changing program elements; basic program planning and evaluation activities; evaluation of program goals and objectives; decisions on organizational structure and delegated responsibility; measures for improving coordination among subordinate units, and control measures to provide data for management; decisions which have an impact on relationships with other programs and units and which may have the potential for negative media coverage; and decisions regarding ways to substantially reduce operating costs without impairing overall operations, such as, reduction of average length of stay on inpatient programs; Develops and monitors standards of clinical practice/standards of care for Social Work, including development of care guidelines, manuals and guides to professional practice; Develops consistent standard operating procedures required to accomplish clinical care interventions and ensures that they are followed; Reviews the utilization of resources by performing such activities as internal reviews, data collection, reviewing and analyzing reports, reviewing contracts, and reviewing performance, in order to ensure that resources are being used efficiently and effectively, and reports results to management as required, both orally and in writing; Ensures personnel management that includes resolving employee complaints, grievances, or other related matters within the context of the union contract, local policy, and appropriate personnel policies, procedures and requirements; Establishes and maintains performance requirements or reviews performance requirements and standards developed by subordinate supervisors, for positions in Social Work and communicates such standards to employees; Counsels employees regarding poor performance or other unsatisfactory situations, takes disciplinary or appropriate action when necessary, or reviews or concurs in disciplinary actions or other appropriate actions or recommendations from subordinate supervisors, concerning Social Work Service employees; Ensures that job related injuries are documented and processed in accordance with appropriate medical center requirements; Establishes, or ensures the establishment of work schedules, tours of duty, and time and attendance policies to ensure the accomplishment of necessary work based on local medical center requirements, personnel regulations and available resources; Monitors social work compliance with licensure as required by VA qualification standards; Serves as a staff advisor to medical facility management in areas other than social work by participating in task forces, formal committees, and other activities in order to assist medical facility management in attaining goals; Makes recommendations to the Chief of Staff for naming discipline members and others to serve as Social Work site managers and other support positions necessary to ensure the smooth running of professional social work activities; Defines and develops a scope of practice for Social Work; Reviews social work staff clinical performances, schedules and chairs meetings of social work staff; Provides consultation to social work staff on complex or unusual cases; Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8am-4:30pm, M-F Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:00232-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: not Authorized