This Outpatient Palliative Care Consult Clinic Social Worker position is in Social Work services at the Bedford Healthcare Systems in the Bedford, Massachusetts location. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week. The Outpatient Palliative Care Consult Clinic Social Worker provides Social Work services to the Veterans being followed on an outpatient basis by the Palliative Care Consult Team (PCCT) at the VA Bedford Healthcare stem (HCS).

Duties

The Social Worker works with a multidisciplinary team serving Veterans managing psychosocial, medical, emotional, behavioral, and environmental issues in the context of advanced and/or progressive illness. Duties include but are not limited to: Assesses the patient's understanding of his/her diagnosis and proposed treatments; Helps the Veteran cope with the social and emotional impact of life threatening and/or chronic illness; Assesses social, behavioral, and environmental issues, and their impact on Veteran's health and well-being; Provides case management services and social work based interventions that will assist the Veteran in optimizing their quality of life; Provides supportive individual, family, and/or group therapy; Engages in the multi-disciplinary treatment team model by being an active member of the PCCT; Collaborates with the PCCT, creating crisis management plans with the Veterans and their family; Communicates and collaborates with both internal and external medical and service providers; Provides education and referral to the Veteran regarding their VA services, programs, and benefits; Completes referrals to indicated community agencies, support groups, and educational programs that are appropriate for Veteran their family; Facilitates communication between the PCCT, the Veteran, their family and community providers; Facilitates discussions with the Veteran and their family regarding illness, healthcare, and life changes; Supports end-of-life planning/care preferences through assistance with Advanced Directives for Healthcare; Refers to and/or coordinates bereavement support services; and Assumes other duties as assigned VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm. Telework: (Ad hoc) telework - An employee who is scheduled to work at an alternative worksite with supervisory approval on an occasional, non-routine basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 518-F06412 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service. Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. ? 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. This position is not a Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

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 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. Current state requirements may be found on the OHRM website. Grade Determinations: GS-11: 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. 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. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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 Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the Medical Center and community is required as is performing activities involving sitting, waling, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers and files. In carrying out responsibilities is may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where incumbent conducts interviews with the veterans, their families, representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies.

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 VA Bedford Healthcare System 200 Springs Road Bedford, MA 01730 US
• Name: Jessenia Plaza
• Phone: (321) 666-1792
• Email: [email protected]