The Dayton VA Medical Center is recruiting for a well-qualified Social Worker, who will spend the majority of their time working at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Acute Care Medical Social Worker is responsible for addressing discharge planning needs of any Veteran admitted to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) Medical Ward from Ohio VA Medical Center facilities.

Duties

The employee is a professional Social Worker assigned to the WPAFB Medical Ward, Care Coordination Center. They must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans and their families/significant others. Social Work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care. These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition, untreated or undertreated mental health or substance abuse condition, economic instability, legal problems, and inadequate housing and transportation. Referrals typically originate from any member of the interdisciplinary team, from Veterans and/or their families who call or walk in for assistance, and from community professionals. The incumbent must complete thorough assessments to determine the underlying causes of the presenting problem, the interpersonal and environmental factors impacting the problem, and its effect on the Veteran's ability and desire to comply with the treatment recommendations by the multidisciplinary team. The primary goal is to ensure a safe discharge plan and reduce readmissions. The Social Worker will help the Veteran and family to understand the contributing factors to the problem(s), will discuss with them the pros and cons of possible short-term and long-term solutions, encouraging them to make positive and lasting changes to reduce stressors. The Social Worker will coordinate with VA staff and community agencies to appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner. Community placements can involve but are not limited to referrals to group and family care homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health care programs, contract nursing homes, Community Living Centers, Residential Care Homes, Medical Foster Homes, inpatient and outpatient hospice services. Duties include, but are not limited to the employee: serving as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services possesses knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide information on educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families consulting and educating Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, specialty programs, and advance directives. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services providing consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment knows of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies provides case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs serving on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the direct supervisor furthering professional growth through continuing education and for ensuring continuing education conducting psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals knowledgeable and experienced in the use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures provide counseling and/or psychotherapy services to individuals, groups and families providing consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment provides orientation and coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students, serves as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 0700 to 1530 Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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 the CSWE website (https://www.cswe.org/Accreditation.aspx) to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. 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: GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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 (LISW). NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, some walking and traveling to other buildings/areas on the installation is required. Walking to/from patient's rooms, participation in Outreach events.

Education

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

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 Dayton VA Medical Center 4100 West Third Street Dayton, OH 45428 US
• Name: Sage Artemis
• Email: [email protected]