The selected Reproductive Health Senior Social Worker will have an increased depth and breadth of practice skills specific to the reproductive needs of Veterans. Work involves intensive social work services requiring the exercise of mature professional judgement and the flexible use of a wide range of complex social work practice skills not typically required in routine social work interventions.

Duties

Reproductive Health services are a growing component of the Orlando VA HCS Women's Health programming. The goal of the program is to ensure women Veterans have access to optimal reproductive health services across the life cycle. Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. During childbearing years, women require health services that address menstrual health, family planning and contraception, maternity and newborn care and infertility. As women enter the menopausal years, their reproductive health needs also need to be addressed. The Reproductive Health Senior Social Worker serves as a member of the Reproductive Health interdisciplinary care team in collaboration with the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACTs) to address the physical, behavioral, and emotional aspects of health care needs of our Women Veterans. Together the team actively works to develop a collaborative, patient-directed treatment plan. Some of the duties include, but are not limited to; Provide a full range of services within the Social Work Scope of Practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level and preferences of care. Services may include, but are not limited to, the following: in-depth psychosocial assessment; case management; individual, family and group therapy; resource linkage; and care coordination. Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. Develops treatment plans that reflect a broad range of treatment modalities. Refers Veterans to other organizations and community resources for services not available through the medical center. Provide consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including VA reproductive health services, benefits, and community resources. Act as a consultant to other team/staff members on topics related to the reproductive biopsychosocial health needs and take a lead clinical role in case consultation. Identify targeted training needs specifically around reproductive biopsychosocial health needs including but not limited to pregnancy, infertility, postpartum and menopause. Collaborate with the Maternity Care Coordinator, Intimate Partner Violence Coordinator, Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator, Women's Health Medical Director and Women Veteran Program Manager to improve Reproductive Healthcare through the Orlando VA Healthcare System. Actively participate in program planning and development, advising the Women Veteran Program Manager of shifting Veteran care needs and identifying the need for SOP or policy changes. Provide supervision to students, interns, or unlicensed Social Workers as requested. Take responsibility for improving professional competencies by participating training programs and continuing education with an emphasis on gender specific needs. Uses highly developed professional, clinical and advanced practice skills are routinely used to assist Veterans with complex problems. Utilizes professional judgment and advance practice skills to review data, subjective and objective, to complete clinical assessments that identify the needs and strengths of Veterans and make psychosocial diagnosis. Ability communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Has the ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm. However, the selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis, based on the needs of the service and patient care. Telework: May be available - as determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Senior Social Worker - Reproductive Health #81869F. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/16/2023. 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: 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. Licensure: 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/. (NOTE: For those who have a Florida LCSW license, you must be registered with the state as a "Qualified Supervisor" in order to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certification. All others must meet the requirements of their state of licensure to be able to provide supervision for licensure.) English Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English 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). All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401 (3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience/Education: 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. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Licensure/Certification: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Preferred Experience: Those candidates with previous VA Social Work practice related to reproductive health care programming and services, including specific to family planning, contraception, maternity and newborn care and infertility care, are highly preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: The position requires performance of work which involves light physical effort, such as that involved in lifting light files, bending, standing, reaching, operating office equipment such as telephone, copier, fax machine, scanner, etc. The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty.

Education

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.

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 Orlando VA Medical Center 13800 Veterans Way Orlando, FL 32827 US
• Name: Christopher Cacciapaglia
• Phone: (407) 432-5810
• Email: [email protected]