The Chief, Social Work Service, is responsible for defining the mission and vision of the Service, developing the scope of practice for all Social Workers, designing a Social Work Service Plan of Care, and assuring implementation of quality improvement measures. The incumbent is responsible for developing, planning, clarifying, administering, and managing Social Work Services at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. English Language Proficiency: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) Education and/or Experience Combination: You must possess 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work. License or Certification:* You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. *Exception: For assignments at the GS-9 level, VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. 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: Social Worker (Service Chief), GS-0185-14 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Experience Requirement: You must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: responsibility for management of small to moderately complex social work service within a healthcare organization; provides supervision to social work service staff members of different grade or experience levels; supervision may include multiple disciplines, treatment sites that are limited and in close proximity to the medical facility, and programs are with limited administrative oversite responsibility; full responsibility for managing and supervising all aspects of social work service operations including clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management and supervision. Experience must demonstrate possession of supervisory and management skills as well as advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate 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. 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-14. Physical Requirements: The work requires the social worker to be mobile throughout the medical center as needed, involving standing, walking, bending, pushing, and lifting (moderately heavy). The social worker should be capable of prolonged standing/walking and be physically capable of pushing equipment, wheelchairs, and patient stretcher.
The Social Work Chief is assigned to the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, Kentucky which is a Level 1C high complexity VA facility. The incumbent has full responsibility for provision of complex social work services requiring advanced practice skills. Incumbent is a full-time administrator for more than 30 Social Work Service staff including a subordinate assistant chief as well as social work program mangers, senior social workers, social workers, registered nurses, social work associate, social service representative, transition patient advocate and clerical staff. The incumbent serves as the facility Social Work Executive for social workers assigned to the Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service and the Geriatrics & Extended Care Service. S/he has full responsibility for clinical practice, program management, education, human resource management & supervision, and organizational stewardship for the social work program. Duties include, but are not limited to: Developing, planning, clarifying, administering and managing Social Work Services. Designates service priorities and objectives, ensures the supervision and evaluation of all social work staff, and is responsible for supervising and evaluating the performance of the assistant chief and other SWS staff. Makes independent professional decisions and recommendations. Responsible for advising management of specific clinical or administrative issues within Social Work Service and within the Medical Center. Responsible for the strategic planning and operation of Social Work Service. Ensures the administrative and clinical supervision of social work staff in his/her professional role. Oversees professional social work activities within the medical center ensuring that educational and quality of care functions related to the psychosocial needs of Veterans are met. Makes decisions regarding work problems presented by the subordinate assistant chief and other SWS staff. Collaborates with others in negotiating, deciding upon and/or coordinating social work related changes affecting other programs. Makes selections for supervisory and non-supervisory positions, hears group grievances and serious employee complaints, review serious disciplinary cases, and disciplinary problems. Consults with specialists regarding training needs and decides types of training problems related to the identified problems of the supervised inpatient and outpatient programs. Makes major decisions affecting the basic content and character of the operations of programs including the business planning process. Reviews information pertaining to the social work programs from a variety of sources (e.g., federal, state and local including Veterans Health Administration, Joint Commission, National Association of Social Workers, etc.) and identifies requirements which must be expressed in the facility's written policies and procedures, drafts such statements or assigns tasks to subordinates to insure their completion. Develops procedures for, and ensures the implementation and achievement of the provision of social work services to facility patients participating in inpatient and outpatient programs. Performs, or assigns responsibility and reviews, the results of Social Work Service internal evaluation for program effectiveness. Develops and monitors standards of clinical practice/standards of care for Social Work, including development of care guidelines, manuals and guides to professional practice. 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. Establishes and maintains functional statements and position descriptions. Reviews applications, interviews applicants and selects, or concurs in the selection of, the best qualified staff available to fill vacancies in Social Work Service. 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. Makes recommendations for recruitment of staff and ensures responsibilities for orientation and continuing education of staff. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full Time; Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency. Telework: ADHOC available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 41047-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.