This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The PACT Social Worker position reports to Social Work Service and is located within the Primary Care Clinic. The incumbent is a part of and works in collaboration with the extended Interdisciplinary Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). As a Social Worker in PACT, the incumbent is administratively responsible for the delivery of care referrals for treatment services, and case management services for out-patients, and psychiatric clients. The incumbent is assigned to work with a variety of patients including psychiatric, medical/surgical patients and out-patients. Occasional work with inpatients may also be necessary. Clinical Duties The incumbent maintains a caseload and is responsible for the assessment of psychosocial problems often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis and include the provision of short-term, solution focused counseling with Veterans and/or their families. Referrals typically originate from members of the interdisciplinary team, from Veterans and/or their families coming as walk-ins to seek assistance, and from community professionals. The incumbent must complete thorough assessments to determine the presenting problem, to determine social determinants of health impacting the problem, and to determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments. Case management with members of the interdisciplinary team is provided in order to coordinate a collaborative effort to meet the agreed upon goals for a Veteran's treatment needs and include liaison with community professionals regarding needed services for Veterans and/or their families. Services include but are not limited to homelessness, hospice services, nursing home care, home health services, financial resources, VA benefits, and transportation services. The incumbent will screen and identify high risk patients (high risk patients are generally described as patients with multiple admissions within the past six months for the same diagnosis or three or more admissions for any reason within the past six weeks) - Admissions from another facility/institute (excluding admissions/transfers from the Lyons Campus) - Veterans who are legally incompetent - Veterans who are homeless - Veterans with no source of income - Age seventy-five (75), disabled and living alone - Age eighty (80) and over- Former Prisoners of War - Terminal illness - Admissions due to an accident Psychosocial Assessments The PACT Social Worker interviews the Veteran, family member and/or significant other to establish facts about the Veteran's current situation. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team members, the Veteran, family member and/or significant others, the Social Worker completes an accurate biopsychosocial assessment. The assessment will reflect the Veteran's strengths as well as primary concerns and/or challenge/s. In addition, the assessment outlines any hindrances for the Veteran obtaining optimal physical and mental health as well as internal/external supports and needs for Veteran to achieve success. Treatment planning/goal setting The PACT Social Worker in collaboration with the Veteran and the Patient Aligned Care Team will develop a treatment plan or goals. This may also be done in collaboration with outpatient mental health providers. The plan will be based on the Veteran's goals (needs and/or preferences) using his/her own language. If the Veteran is not present, the Social Worker (and/or team) will make every effort to reflect the Veteran's language, goals, etc. based on the psychosocial assessment. The treatment plan or goals will be person-centered, holistic, non-linear and strengths-based. The Veteran's goals will be obtainable and measurable. The PACT Social Worker also has the knowledge and skills needed to identify and assist the Veteran's use of internal/ external supports, utilized by the Veteran to succeed in his/her goals. The PACT Social Worker will provide the Veteran with skill development opportunities to transition or use natural community supports. The treatment plan or goals will be adjusted according to the Veteran's response to the interventions and/or changes in needs/goals. Provision of clinical services The PACT Social Worker contributes to research and program evaluation of patient care programs though their knowledge of the psychosocial aspects of illness and its social process and social change. When needed, they will serve as a liaison, advocate and/or consultant for the Veteran, family member and/or significant other across product lines in VA NJ and in the community to promote efficient practice and improve Veteran outcomes. Other Duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available on an Ad-Hoc Basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21K46-A EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 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 by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work. 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 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. OR 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. 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. An applicant with a valid unrestricted driver's license is preferred. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 September 10, 2019 The full performance level of this position is a GS-11, which is the actual grade an applicant may be selected for.

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 New Jersey Health Care System 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 US
• Name: Kelli Bencic
• Phone: 716-458-6982
• Email: [email protected]