The Battle Creek VA Medical Center's Social Work service is hiring a Social Worker to serve in the Palliative Care section (CLC). The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans as they transition from the Community Living Center to appropriate placement alternatives.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major Duties of the position include but are not limited to: Clinical: Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families experiencing a wide range of psychosocial, medical, emotional, behavioral and environmental issues. Independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their family members. Assess functional acuity of the Veteran and provide appropriate interventions. Utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is possible and practical. Participates on the interdisciplinary treatment teams to provide social work interventions to Veterans and/or family members to meet treatment goals within the context of their goals of care. Working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology. Facilitate discharge planning through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate discharge plans are executed in a timely manner. Serve as liaison between Veterans, family members and community partners in order to ensure thoroughly delivery of services. This involves coordination of Veteran involvement in monthly Resident Council meetings and family involvement in Family Council Meetings. Knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling and/or support groups for Veterans and/or their families. Consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, specialty programs, advance directives and other needed topics. This includes the incumbent's knowledge of the process for accessing and/or coordinating community based services from other VA programs, other government programs and community programs. Knowledge of Veteran's benefits, services, community resources and processes for making appropriate referrals to community and other government programs and/or agencies. This will include support in end of life planning, burial benefits and care preferences. Provide training, consultation and education to other treatment teams, staff members and community partners regarding hospice and palliative care services. Skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. The incumbent will be able to appropriately utilize principles of human growth and development over the life span and will be able to assist Veterans in coping with the loss and grief experiences that happen when dealing with disabilities and terminal illness. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. Demonstrates the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds Administrative: 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 and Chief of Social Work Services. Keeps their supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility. Responsible for furthering one's own professional growth through continuing education and for ensuring continuing education appropriate to the area of assignment. Provide assistance with the orientation and learning of less experienced social workers and if interested, to serve a s afield instructor for graduate level social work students. Demonstrates knowledge and skill in the use of software applications for drafting documents and data management as well as other computer systems in use by the VHA. Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standards, Joint Commission standards, and facility standards. Documents social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. Functions as a champion and advocate for the provision of recovery focused services to Veterans. As such, the incumbent is expected to model Recovery and its defined values in all aspects of her or his professional activities and partnerships Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:00-4:30 (weekend and evening coverage may be required in emergent situations) Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: Ad-hoc or at supervisor's discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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). Current employees 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). Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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. 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. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 September 10, 2019 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 a GS-9 to a GS-11.

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 Battle Creek VA Medical Center 5500 Armstrong Road Battle Creek, MI 49037 US
• Name: Alexander Phillips
• Phone: 317-681-4780
• Email: [email protected]