The Caregiver Support Senior Social Worker develops and implements the Caregiver Support Program specific to his/her area of assignment and ensures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives.

Duties

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: The Caregiver Support Senior Social Worker administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to caregivers, families and Veterans Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, caregiver demographics, equipment utilization and caregiver and Veteran satisfaction Develops, implements, and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services Participates in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts (face to face, home visits) to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues Creates educational tools, develops programs and implements training focused on specific caregiver needs/issues; provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees, Veterans, families and caregivers Provides ongoing consultation and support to colleagues regarding caregiver support; develops and facilitates caregiver support groups (face-to-face or telehealth modalities) and educational programs Distributes educational materials provided by VA, local, state and national caregiver organizations. Provides outreach presentations to community social service agencies, military Guard and Reserve units, Veteran Service Organizations and other groups on VA caregiver benefits, programs and services. All other duties as assigned Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30 pm Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. 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: Must have current License Clinical Social Work (LCSW). Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed by a state to independently practice social work at the Advanced Master's Degree level. English Language Proficiency Requirement: Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. 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. GS 12 Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Duties at the GS-11 include but are not limited to: Assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, case management experience, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence knowledge of mental health diagnosis and treatment, use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Grade Determinations: 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 Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 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 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 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: Two years of post-MSW experience in an area of specialized social work practice and is independently licensed or certified by the state of North Carolina to practice at the advanced level Experience working with families and/or caregivers and experience in facilitating caregiver support groups and educational programs Experience in caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress, psychiatric illness, emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues Must be familiar with VA and/or local community agencies and resources Experience working with interdisciplinary teams and collaboration Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to implement social work research methodology, health services research, and the peer review processes in the preparation of study proposals meeting the guidelines of various funding agencies. (b) Ability to formulate a research study, from conceptualization of the research problem through the implementation, analysis, interpretation, and reporting phases. (c) Skill in the use of computer input and analysis of social science data including the use of statistical packages. (d) Knowledge of the principles of scientific reporting for publications in peer reviewed journals and for presentation at scientific and professional meetings. (e) Ability to develop realistic goals and objectives, translate management needs, and concerns into operational terms that can be subjected to empirical study and analysis, and communicate the results in both verbal and written form. (f) Knowledge of current and standard literature in disciplinary field and literature sources, including VA reporting requirements, recurring and non-recurring statistical reports, as well as computer files, forms, and procedures created to support them. (g) Skill in the critical review and synthesizing of large amounts of information into cogent presentations, translating management needs and concerns into operational terms that can be subjected to empirical study and analysis. (h) Knowledge in preparing research project budgets, using VA guidelines in the management of funds, monitoring and evaluating the appropriateness of research funding requests in coordination with Fiscal Service and the R&D Administrative Officer. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX II-G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation is necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require minimal travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who assist and support to the Caregiver Support program, its Veterans and caregivers. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Education: Candidates must 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.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Fayetteville NC VA Medical Center 2300 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 US
• Name: Michelle Moritz
• Phone: 757-243-4419
• Email: [email protected]