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

This Social Worker (SW) is assigned the Emergency Department (ED) with responsibility to provide direct services for Adult Veterans who present for services. The incumbent is responsible for providing quality social work services to Veterans referred to the ED. This LMSW/LCSW is responsible to provide a variety of interventions for Veterans referred in the ED. These services include (but not limited to) bio-psycho-social- spiritual assessments, assessing social determinants of health, crisis intervention, short-term treatment planning, and brief solution focused interventions aimed at stabilizing the patient and the family during the current crisis, and discharge care planning if applicable. The incumbent provides completion of the Suicide Risk Assessments, other safety risk assessments. The incumbent provides completion of the St. Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) and other screenings and/or assessments for decisional making capacity as needed within the social work scope of practice. Additional services such as patient education, referral to resources and benefits, case management, Advance Directive education, and care coordination with other services such as, but not limited to, the Fisher House, Housing and Urban Development - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), medicine, acute care, primary care and community facilities. The Social Worker is responsible for participating in multidisciplinary treatment team planning, and hand off procedures upon discharge, and applicable post ED intervention follow-ups. The incumbent is expected to provide cross coverage as needed for acute care/inpatient social work care needs if needed. Major duties include: Works collaboratively with medicine, mental health, and specialty services in planning, organizing, managing, and evaluating the social work services needed to further the mission of the Emergency Department in providing exceptional health care to improve the health and wellbeing of the Veterans served by SAVAHCS. Works with diverse population of patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and or psychosocial problems and is responsible to identify appropriate interventions, treatment planning and resource referrals. Provides case management services to Veterans and their families during episodes of care tandem with other health professionals and programs both internal and external to SAVAHCS. This includes functioning as a contact with community agencies, hospitals, health care facilities, city and county governments, providing general information and consultation about VA Benefits, eligibility for healthcare, and the SAVAHCS system. Conducting bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessments, social determinants of health screens, safety risk assessments, discharge care planning and coordination of treatment services for Veteran in crisis/ acute care settings. Provides short-term, brief counseling, patient centered solution focused counseling with Veterans and/or their families. Conducts training for staff, students and community providers as assigned or required. Communicates clearly and timely to their supervisor or leadership of apprised problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. Participates in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager or Chief of Social Work. Develops, adapts, and directs social work services to meet the changing needs of the Emergency Department social work at the SAVAHCS. Identifies existing barriers to Veterans accessing care and address through leadership channels and High Reliability Organizational structures reporting and potential process improvements. Documents all social work interventions and activities in the patient's clinical record Establishes and maintaina effective professional working relationships with patients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Work Schedule: Saturday - Wednesday. 7:00am to 5:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Available Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Contact [email protected], the EDRP office 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 Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. Licensure. Full, unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Education. Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. Preferred Experience/Qualifications: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) preferred. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above, candidates must meet the following grade requirements. GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above. Candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. GS-11 Experience/Education: Candidates must possess at least 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; or a Doctoral degree. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate the following KSA's Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 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. 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. 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. 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. Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. he full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. Additional information regarding the assignments at the full performance level can be found in the appendix referenced above. Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking; standing; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

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 Tucson VA Medical Center 3601 South Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ 85723 US
• Name: Cherie Mennel
• Phone: 520-792-1450 X6213
• Email: [email protected]