This is a Senior Social Worker position in the newly implemented Maternity Care Coordinators (MCC) program. Approximately 6,000 Veterans who use the VA maternity care benefits give birth every year and although the VA refers Veterans to community providers for maternity care it continues to provide non-pregnancy-related health care during pregnancy and post-delivery. The MCC program is in support of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, Public Law 117-69 which was signed on November 30, 2021.

Duties

The Maternity Care Coordinators (MCC) program ensures effective communication between Veterans, VA facilities and community providers who provide Veterans with maternity care services. The VA Maternity Care Coordinators identify mental and behavioral risks and other social determinates of health and connect Veterans to resources as needed. Veterans who use the VA for their maternity benefits have higher rates of pregnancy associated death compared to the general population with about half of these deaths occurring in the late postpartum period (within one year after pregnancy ends) and most of the pregnancy-associated deaths being related to suicide, homicide, or overdose. Given the recent legislative mandate of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act Public Law 117-69 which was signed on November 30, 2021, the Atlanta VA Medical Center is leveraging its MCC program and the tremendous resources that exist within the VA, to enhance support of pregnant and postpartum Veterans. The Senior Social Worker - Maternity Care Coordinator will help expand the MCC program by providing post-delivery contacts and case management for 12 months after delivery. This position will be located at the Atlanta VA Medical Center's Arcadia Clinic and will work within the Women's Health Program under the Social Work Service Line. The incumbent's primary responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following: Coordinate comprehensive health care services for Women Veterans enrolled in the VA Maternity program and/or Women Veterans who have obtained a pregnancy diagnosis. Ensure care coordination for pregnant and post-partum Veterans to include medical and/or surgical health care services, psychosocial support, and mental health needs with an emphasis on gender specific care. Serve as a knowledge expert regarding the perinatal and postpartum needs of Women Veterans, providing consultation and support to other facility personnel to ensure appropriate services and resources are provided to pregnant Veterans. Participate in weekly maternity care huddles with other Maternity Care Coordinators to receive warm handoffs of Veterans transitioning from pregnancy to post-partum care case management. Complete psychosocial assessments and provide frequent follow ups. Maintain the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively apply all aspects of social work within a collaborative, interdisciplinary practice setting. Demonstrate skills for public relations and community outreach and maintain membership on external committees providing services to women veterans while developing partnerships with local and state groups providing services to women. Participate in a variety of facility meetings for the purposes of strategic planning and monitoring the quality of care provided to women. Fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans, colleagues, and VA in accordance with relevant discipline Code of Ethics, VHA Code of Ethics, and local Ethics policies, which includes compliance with all laws and regulations related to confidentiality and release of information and the protection of Veterans' personal identifying information. Evaluate his/her practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means; remain active in and accept responsibility for the development and maintenance of professional standards of treatment by reviewing journals, engaging in continuing education activities, and pursing professional learning events. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM Telework: Eligible on Ad-Hoc basis only Functional Statement #: 54097F 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. NOTE: This only applies to past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT). An HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or receiving VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC). 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: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education: Master's degree in Social Work from a school that is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are currently in candidacy status do not meet the education requirement for this position until their school is fully accredited. A Doctoral degree in Social Work may not be substituted for the Master's degree in Social Work. Applicants are encouraged to visit the CSWE directory to verify whether their degree meets CSWE accreditation standards for a Master's degree in Social Work. Licensure: License or certification by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (all states except California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. GS-12 REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: At least two (2) years of experience at the post advanced practice and clinical licensure in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior Social Workers must possess experience which demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment and should be considered experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior Social Workers may have certification or other post-Master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. GS-12 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs): In addition to the GS-12 required experience listed above, all applicants must possess the following demonstrated (KSAs): Skills 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 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 model effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession and write policies. THE FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL OF THIS VACANCY IS GS-12. Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure requirements which may apply to this occupation. An applicant may qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, sitting, talking, driving, use of the telephone, etc. Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their day-to-day activities. There is ongoing exposure to individuals with psychiatric and physical illness and disabilities potentially including violent or aggressive behavior and chronic psychiatric and medical problems. Light lifting, under 15 pounds, light carrying, under 15 pounds, Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

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

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 educational accreditation status here. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must provide a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please visit the following link.

Contacts

• Address Atlanta VA Medical Center 1670 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]