This Social Work position is located at VA Western New York Healthcare System, located at Buffalo with flexibility to cover other program locations as needed. This is a complexity level 1B facility. The incumbent is assigned to Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) Line and works in collaboration with multiple teams including: Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC), Behavioral Health Care Line (BVAC), Medicine Teams and Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT).

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties include but are not limited to: Clinical Functions - Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice, which includes casework, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate, implementing treatment modalities appropriately - Direct services provided including: social work triage, identifying patient discharge disposition, making referrals for post hospital needs such as home health aide, skilled nursing, in-home rehab services, transportation, adult day health care, behavioral health programs, etc.; providing health care proxy/living will education and completion; economic assistance or financial aid services and strategies to increase income (employment, vocational rehabilitation, VA benefits, disability); determining patient disposition which may involve placement to the least restrictive environment i.e. retirement facility/supportive living, assisted living, nursing home, or homeless shelter, group home, or a return to the prior to admission living situation. - Complete comprehensive evaluation and or assessment to determine the needs of patients and family members especially identifying possible environmental impediments that could complicate overall care. The social worker in concert with the patient, family and team, while considering socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational and diversified backgrounds, will determine and execute interventions to overcome any predetermined barriers Provides crisis management when indicated and makes appropriate referrals to VA programs or community resources in compliance with established VA policy and procedures; - Actively participate in the treatment planning process with other disciplines which may be modified in relation to any change in the patient medical status; - Actively participate in discharge planning process with patient/family and team members ensuring the individualized discharge plan is safe and meets patient needs and executed in a timely and appropriate manner; - Assists patient and family with adjustment to alternative living arrangements such as nursing home placement, (long-term, sub-acute rehab), assisted living, supportive housing, etc. Referrals are made as soon as possible during the patient's episode of care; - Advocate on behalf of patient to ensure services are obtained in a timely manner. Act as a liaison between patient/family and medical team in communicating concerns or issues of importance; - Possessing the necessary knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses and treatments to provide individual and family counseling to help lessen the distress associated with acute and chronic illness issues; - Provide consultation/education to veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits; - Provide consultation/education to other team/staff members, medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedure; - Provide case management and assessment of the psychosocial functioning and needs of to veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of inpatient care and make a warm handoff to the outpatient social worker; Administrative Functions - Is responsible for supporting the mission, policies, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and the facility; - Serves on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor; - Is mindful of keeping their supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility; - Is responsible for furthering one's own professional growth through continuing education and for ensuring continuing education appropriate to the area of assignment; - Provides assistance with orientation and learning and serves as a field instructor for graduate level social work students, new social workers, and other staff. - Demonstrate knowledge and skill in the use of software applications for drafting documents. Demonstrates knowledge and skill in data management/encounter completion/CPT procedure coding; - Documents social work case management activities in patient's medical record in timely and thorough fashion, completing encounters accurately reflecting all services provided; - Social Work Consults are answered within designated time frame and response/treatment is congruent with the provider's request and patient's needs. - Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 23947-F

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/. 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). Grade Determinations: 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. 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. (3) 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, series and grades for all federal positions held, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. (Failure to provide an SF-50 that demonstrates one-year time-in-grade will result in disqualification from being considered) You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

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 Western New York Healthcare System 3495 Bailey Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215 US
• Name: Shawndolyn Trotter
• Email: [email protected]