Career Center

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Qualifications

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
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 4 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/
• A COPY OF YOUR LICENSURE IS REQUIRED WITH YOUR APPLICATION
• Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• 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-12 Experience: The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• A COPY OF YOUR LICENSURE IS REQUIRED WITH YOUR APPLICATION
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• 2
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• 3
• Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes
• 4
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• 5
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area Preferred Experience: Experience working with veterans
• 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-12
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting - 45 pounds and over - Pushing - pulling - walking - standing - bending - operating a motor vehicle - and working closely with others.

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The Senior Social Worker will also provide direct social work support to Veterans and support persons admitted to ALVA CLC for Hospice - long term care - and short stay
• The Social Worker will collaborate with the other members of the ALVA CLC interdisciplinary team in the provision of comprehensive health care services
• This Senior Social Worker will ensure equity of access - service - and benefits to this population - and collect - develop and analyze data from this program - using appropriate clinical indicators and monitoring activities to assure that the care provided is of the highest quality
• The major duties and responsibilities of the Senior Social Worker are as follows: 1) Conduct psychosocial and MDS assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members
• 2) Provide a full range of services within the Social Work Scope of Practice based on Veteran needs - acuity level - and preference for care
• Services may include but are not limited to case management
• discharge planning
• resource linkage
• facilitation of IDT meetings
• care coordination
• 3) Provide consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources - End-of-Life planning - Advanced Directives - VA benefits - budgeting - guardianship - activities of daily living - and recovery goals
• 4) Assist Veterans and their support persons with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability - terminal illness and death
• 5) Act as a consultant and subject-matter expert for Social Work to clinical staff (physicians - nurses - and other disciplines as needed)
• Take a lead clinical role in case consultation and provide case presentation to executive leadership team members
• 6) Provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate Veteran/family support groups as appropriate
• 7) Provide coverage to other CLC social workers as needed
• 8) Fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans - colleagues and VA in accordance with NASW Code of Ethics - VHA Code of Ethics - and local ethics policies
• This includes but is not limited to: compliance with all laws and regulations related to confidentiality and release of information
• protecting Veterans' personal identifying information
• 9) Document all Veteran care in the electronic health record in accordance with facility policy - VHA Directive 1162.05 (and revisions) - and program-specific SOPs
• 10) Provide supervision to students - interns - or unlicensed Social Workers as requested
• 11) Complete all mandatory VA trainings in a timely manner
• 12) Provide training - education - and consultation to trainees - VA staff - and community partners as subject matter expert in specialized practice area(s)
• 13) Performs other related duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (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 (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.