This position provides services to veterans in the Community Living Center (CLC). The social worker is involved in discharge planning, case management, advocacy, providing psychosocial education, and coordinating linkages with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies as needed by the client. CLC social workers are also assigned duties assisting other program areas, as needed to assist the organization and ensure workload targets 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. 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/. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, 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. Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Note: 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. 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, GS-9 (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors. (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. (3) Entry Level Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Social Worker, GS-11 (1) Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR, (2) Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. (4) Full Performance Level Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; Continued in Additional Information. . .
DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: Screening/Assessment The CLC social worker will independently complete psychosocial assessments with veterans. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the veterans' strengths, limitations, internal and external supports and service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status and safely maintain the veteran in his/her home or community living setting. Case Management/Goal Setting/Discharge Planning The CLC Social Worker will provide case management services to veterans serving as the liaison to other treatment programs. CLC social workers will engage veterans and when appropriate, other members of the veteran's support system, in an ongoing information-gathering and decision-making process to help the veteran identify their goals, strengths, and challenges. Treatment/Interventions The CLC Social Worker identifies needed psychosocial interventions, care coordination, case management, supportive counseling and/or brief psychotherapy services within the bounds of their level of licensure, as needed. The incumbent coordinates care with other healthcare professionals, including but not limited to physician, psychiatrist, nurse, chaplain, pharmacist, physical, occupational and recreation therapists; and other social workers, as well as other VA, government, and community programs. Resources and Referrals Develops a resource file of VA and community social service programs. Finds a suitable means of treatment to help veterans and/or significant others. Based upon veterans needs and eligibility, facilitates and/or coordinates VA and community-based services and referrals. Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the veterans needs, educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran preference or that of his/her surrogate decision-maker. Advocacy Acts as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family. When appropriate and feasible, conducts education and encourages the veteran/family to advocate on own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Patient Education Provides education related to the veteran's VA entitlements, eligibility, services and programs, as well as community resources for medical and mental health needs. Educates and refers the veteran and as appropriate, veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other, to the appropriate program, interdisciplinary team members, internal programs, or external programs for identified education needs. Identifies the social determinants of health education needs of veterans; and works with the interdisciplinary team members on a plan to address those needs. Education/Training/Supervision Participates in the orientation of new social work staff and other interdisciplinary team members, as assigned by supervisor. When approved by the Social Work Supervisor, social worker supervises social work students and provides a training experience in social work. Works with students to develop training plans and goals. Coordination of Non-Institutional and Institutional Services The CLC social worker coordinates referrals/consults for non-institutional and institutional services, both internally and externally, to include but not limited to, HBPC, community nursing homes, ADHC/CNH, hospice, transitional and supportive housing, skilled and non-skilled homecare services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team members. Administrative Responsibilities Incumbent documents all social work case activities in the electronic health record and other programs as directed by the social work supervisor. Submits written and/or electronic data and reports promptly and accurately per policy and/or procedures set by Social Work Service, the Medical Center, VISN, VA Central Office and other entities, as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 53743-F; 53744-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized