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 Senior Social Worker serves as a core member of the interdisciplinary Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) treatment team which is a specialized program under the administration of HBPC Service. Primarily serves Veterans/Caregivers who would normally have received their care from the VA Medical Center or affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Travels at least 75% of the time.Duties include but are not limited to: Works independently and without access to social work supervision to provide expert level psychosocial interventions and case management services to veterans with complex medical, social and behavioral conditions in which routine clinic-based care is not effective. Utilizes advanced practice skills, knowledge, and judgment in developing and measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Provides a comprehensive psychosocial assessment and integrates it into an overall plan of care in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others, whenever possible. The social worker participates and can lead weekly interdisciplinary care planning meetings when asked by the HBPC program director. Incumbent is empowered to design systems changes based on observations, data and experience. Coordinates community-based services, from a wide spectrum of available resources requiring a broad knowledge base. Facilitates and prioritizes referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility. Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Independently identifies and prioritizes high-risk patients and provides case management services. Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. Makes rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans to maintain patient in the home, for admission to acute, short term and/or long-term placements. Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan. Provide the veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling utilizing the advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities. Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. Assumes a leadership role in the HBPC program and periodically review and update documentation templates to ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines, social work standards of practice, and VHA policies. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 7:30am to 4:00pm or 4 ten hour shifts. Compressed/Flexible:Available. Telework: Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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. 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/. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.] 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. Grade Determinations: GS-12- Full Performance Level: Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Licensure/Certification. Senior Social Worker Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, applicants 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-185 Veterans Health Administration, dated September 10, 2019.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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 Louis A Johnson VA Medical Center 1 Medical Center Drive Clarksburg, WV 26301 US
• Name: Joseph Hannan
• Phone: 304-268-9384
• Email: [email protected]