The Senior Social Worker serves as a core member of the interdisciplinary (HBPC) treatment team which is a specialized program under the administration of Geriatrics and Extended Care. Patients served under the HBPC Program typically are those who have impaired mobility due to disability or functional limitation, inability to cope with the clinic environment due to cognitive, physical or psychiatric impairment, and the need for frequent coordinated interventions from multiple disciplines.

Duties

Will develop an in-home assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members & significant others, whenever possible. Highlights the veteran's strengths, limitations, & internal/external supports & service needs to optimize the veteran's functional status & safely maintain the veteran in his/her home. Independently provides a comprehensive psychosocial in home assessment, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members & significant others. Possesses the advanced practice skills to independently make a psychosocial diagnosis & offer psychosocial interventions, & then measures outcomes to interventions. Participates & can lead weekly interdisciplinary care planning meetings when asked. Empowered to design systems changes based on observations, data & experience. Subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources to include resources to maintain the veteran in his/her own home. Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs for non-institutional, institutional services/programs & entitlements. Educates the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services & assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker. Responsible for developing a resource file of VA & community social service programs & will refer to needed services. Understands the intimidation of bureaucracy & will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family. When appropriate & feasible, will educate & encourage the veteran/family to advocate on their own behalf. Experienced in making rapid assessments & developing crisis management plans to maintain patient in the home, for admission to acute, short term and/or long term placements. Accesses multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis. Provides education related to VA & community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will & will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Conducts home visits on every patient enrolled in HBPC & assesses environment factors within the home setting that may affect the overall well being of the veteran. Coordination of the referrals of non-institutional services such as ADHC, non-skilled homecare services, in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members. Coordination of the referrals of institutional placements in Adult Homes, Assisted Living Programs, CNH, SVH, & all other outside resources. Reviews progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths & limitations of each veteran being referred for non-institutional & institutional alternatives. Educates the veteran, their families & the HBPC team of all the options available to them & will collaborate with the veteran & family on the preferred option. Provides the veterans & their caregivers with ongoing supportive & grief counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/disabling illness (es), onset of a catastrophic illness and/or dying, need for non-institutional or institutional services as needed during the veteran's enrollment in the program. Working with the veteran's entire support system due to being in the veteran's own home & working with all caregivers involved in his/her care as determined appropriate in the home. Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using, information will be entered in a complete, confidential, & professional manner to insure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. Establishes & maintain positive working relationships with employees, consumers & stakeholders within the VA & outside community agencies. Attends all meetings & collaborate in the performance improvement processes & comply with performance measures as required by the VA. Coverage responsibilities in the absence of other staff to ensure timely access & coordination of care. Responsible for HBPC program development which may include developing & implementing written treatment program policies & standard operating procedures that are based on empirical data & theoretical rationale that are consistent with patient rights. Practices at an advanced level & independently gathers relevant information to guide practice. Serves as a subject matter expert to colleagues & provides training & guidance to new HBPC Social Workers as the program expands to other areas. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 53471-O 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. Education. Possess 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. Possess a full and unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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-12: Basic requirements as described above. Senior Social Workers must posses at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one (1) year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G39. Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-185.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. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams.

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 Fort Harrison VA Medical Center 3687 Veterans Drive Fort Harrison, MT 59636 US
• Name: Tameka Snowden
• Phone: 4128223904
• Email: [email protected]