If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12187315-24-SA. The Social Worker position is assigned to the Central Arkansas VA Medical Center Care within the Community Care Department. This position works closely with the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT), Social Work and Care Transitions, and other referring providers for all inpatient and outpatient clinics within CAVHS.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of the Social Worker - Community care include but are not limited to: 1) Maintains awareness and familiarity with current standards and guidance for both internal and external bodies (VACO, Joint Commission, OIG, etc.), applying standards in a timely manner, and assisting in modifying local processes when necessary to ensure the highest quality care. 2) Follows written policies and standard operating procedures (SOP's), consistent with patient rights, established VHA Handbooks, and the Field Guidebook. 3) Provides consultation, and education, regarding the program to medical center staff and community-based service providers, ensuring Veterans who are receiving personal care services meet VA eligibility requirements as outlined in VHA Handbook 1140.6, the Field Guidebook and other official documents related to home health services. 4) Independently conducts outreach and education to internal providers, teams, and clinics to ensure awareness of available non-institutional care resources for Veterans. 5) Monitors approved agencies, addressing concerns when appropriate, to ensure compliance with established VA standards. 6) Maintains awareness of current program information through participation in local, VISN, and national GEC meetings, conference calls, etc. Functions as a point of contact and liaison between community service providers, CAVHS, and Office of Community Care (COC) to ensure timely authorization and processing of payments. 7) Monitors authorizations for Veterans with ongoing care needs, utilizing a proactive approach to monitor reports in HSRM, the VSSC databases, etc., working collaboratively to alert ordering providers of expiring authorizations, and requesting new consults/orders for Veterans in need of continuing home health aide care. 8) Monitors incoming consults and referrals for care: responsible to follow approved process when unable to schedule care when program resources are not sufficient to meet identified needs. 9) Maintains up-to-date lists of approved agencies for home health aide services, ensuring collaboration with OCC. 10) Possess and demonstrate basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, managing data, and tracking outcomes; ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA. Community Agency Engagement & Support: 1) Conducts outreach to community-based agencies who provide care to Veterans on behalf of VA, or have an interest in doing so, encouraging partnerships with VA or community care networks to provide needed services. 2) Assists community agencies in establishing work agreements with VA or other community care networks, working in conjunction with local OCC department to ensure process is completed. 3) Acta as a primary point of contact and liaison for internal and external customers, addressing problems and challenges related to referrals, renewals, plan of care completion, documentation, billing processes, payment authorizations, etc. 4) Functions within the interdisciplinary team to coordinate with medical staff re: home health care and extended care referrals. Direct Patient Care/Liaison: 1) Independently conducts psychosocial assessments and makes psychosocial diagnoses based on assessment. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions. 2) Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Available (Ad hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:598-00196-F or 598-00039-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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. 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. 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. 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). Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). 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. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Preferred Experience: 1 year experience and LCSW or LMSW References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The 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-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: light lifting (under 15 pounds), walking 1-2 hours. Environmental factors include outside and inside, working closely with others. (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 John L McClellan Memorial Veterans' Hospital 4300 West Seventh Street Little Rock, AR 72205 US
• Name: Sandi Adkins
• Phone: 601-368-4431
• Email: [email protected]