The incumbent serves as the COMPACT Act Coordinator Social Worker (Social Work Coordinator) for Butler, VA, ensuring facilitation and implementation of the COMPACT Act, which includes the education of providers, internal stakeholder, external stakeholder, Veterans, and their families on the COMPACT Act. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

Duties

The Social Work Coordinator must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated mental health and psychosocial problems of Veterans and their families/significant others, including case management and assistance with discharge planning of highly complex cases. The incumbent will work frequently with Veterans with complex medical and psychiatric needs. The primary function of the Social Worker Coordinator will be to provide comprehensive case management and discharge planning to Veterans currently receiving services with COMPACT Act/care that is managed/monitored by community mental health/medical facilities. Responsibilities include managing, coordinating, and providing social work and behavioral health services to Veterans and their families in community settings. Major duties include, but are not limited to: - Work in partnership with VAMC VBA, BAS, and financial service - Actively participate in the treatment planning process with other disciplines and assist with discharge planning. - Provide individual, family, and group counseling as appropriate. - Face-to-face contact to introduce the Veteran to the "face" of VA while inpatient at the non-VA inpatient mental health facility. The goal is to optimize the continuity of care from the non-VA inpatient mental health facility to the VA outpatient setting. - Discuss with the Veteran what to expect upon discharge and the reason for such frequent contact. - Complete the Suicide Prevention Safety Plans while still in the non-VA inpatient facility. Facilitate appropriate hand-off with VA Suicide Prevention Program staff to assure continuity of care when needed. - Build therapeutic alliances with the Veteran and establish rapport with the non-VA inpatient mental health facility staff/organization. - Establish and maintain communication between providers, Veterans, and the care team to allow for opportunities for clarification and feedback. Coordination across the spectrum of services. Effective transitions and warm hand-offs. - Ensure the Veteran's demographics and contact information are current and accurate in CPRS. - Conduct follow-up home visits when the Veteran does not show up for the first follow-up visit/phone call. - Support Veteran's recovery, goals, and preferences for mental health/medical care. - Engage in explicit discussions with the Veteran (and caregiver if available) regarding warning symptoms or signs to monitor that may indicate that the Veteran's condition has worsened and who to contact in an emergency. - Reduce non-VA inpatient facility readmissions and length of stay to support fiscal accountability and cost-savings. - Coach and counsel Veterans and families. - Serves as a role model for utilizing appropriate communication and conflict management techniques, effectively guiding and motivating team members. - Evaluate practice for a service based on established professional, community, and regulatory standards and recommend/implement changes to meet those standards. - Act as liaison between providers, team members, VA, and community resources for continuity of care to include identification of need of care at home or alternatives such as outpatient treatment, extended care facility, and/or assisted living facility. - Navigation between varying levels of care - Coordination between health care providers and care managers in direct care and community care - Comprehensive transition planning - Outreach to community providers and healthcare systems providing COMPACT care. - Advocacy for Veterans, ensuring they do not receive bills for COMPACT-related care. - Be the singular point of contact for Veterans, families, and caregivers during COMPACT episodes of care. - Facility subject matter expert for COMPACT Act - Replacement (PATS-R) COMPACT clinical review teams. - Collaborate with their local facility revenue and finance departments. - Coordinate with their local facility Office of Integrated Veteran Care (IVC) Coordinators - Other skills would include the ability to provide outreach, ability to manage administrative and clinical reviews, case management experience, and skillset and knowledge of the healthcare system to assist Veterans with navigation. Work Schedule: M - F, 8:00am - 4:30pm Functional Statement #: PD000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: 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. Please contact Cynthia L. Powell, EDRP Coordinator for additional information at [email protected]. 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/. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Social Worker Coordinator, GS-12 Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience includes but is 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. 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: Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. 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). Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Physical Requirements: Sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, climbing stairs (generally no more than 3 floors), and carrying light items such as papers, books or other supplies. The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks. The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the patient population and their families. A level of self-awareness is essential. Work is performed in an office environment, as well as clinic and inpatient areas. This environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, libraries, residences, or commercial vehicles, e.g., use of safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of fire regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. In addition, patient contact will be made. Appropriate principles of infection control will need to be applied to the work References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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 Butler Healthcare 353 North Duffy Road Butler, PA 16001 US
• Name: Paula Schubele
• Phone: 850-710-0150
• Email: [email protected]