The Inpatient Med/Surg Social Worker is primarily responsible for the management, coordination and provision of social work and case management services to Veterans and their families on the inpatient medicine/surgery units. The Inpatient Med/Surg Social Worker practices on interdisciplinary team with the inpatient medicine/surgery units, and serves a patient population with complex health, and possible SUD and mental health diagnosis.

Duties

The Inpatient Med/Surg Social Worker assigned to inpatient medicine/surgery will provide medical, social work intervention services to Veterans, family members and caregivers. The Inpatient Med/Surg Social Worker provides medical and behavioral social work services for Veterans admitted inpatient. Services often involve care coordination and consultation with medical, nursing, and social work staff in other care areas to which Veterans are referred, consulted, and/or also treated and/or also co-managed. Examples include, but are not limited to primary care, mental health, homeless services, specialty medicine, neurology, operative care, or acute care. The incumbent works closely with members of associated inpatient and outpatient interdisciplinary treatment teams. The incumbent assesses and provides appropriate social work care treatment options, interventions, discharge, and placement options. The incumbent providers assessment, evaluation, treatment, and reporting for cases of suspected or reported abuse, neglect or financial exploitation which present or are identified. The incumbent conductus psychosocial screens and/or assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. The purpose of the assessment is to understand the Veterans; situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veterans level of functioning and health as part of a comprehensive assessment that highlights Veterans strengths, limitations, high risk factors, acuity level and internal/external support and service needs to optimize the Veterans functional status. The incumbent completes behavioral health clinical reminders for patients. The incumbent conducts clinical reminders during clinic visits and, as needed, by telephone. The incumbent promotes patient, family, and team interactions and problem solving by actively participating in interdisciplinary meetings to facilitate collaboration and the achievement of identified goals; acts as a consultant to other members of the interdisciplinary team in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care; collaborates to develop and implement programs (e.g. high risk registry) to improve the care of patients with complex physical and behavioral problems. The incumbent screens patients for alternate level of care options and provides education to patients, caregivers, and staff on those options for care. The incumbent facilitates discharge planning for patients, ensures that all patients that are not assigned to a PACT are provided education as to that process, The incumbent collaborates with social work, Rehab and Long-Term Care, Primary Care, and nursing service to facilitate acute rehabilitation admission, transfer to a skilled nursing facility, initiation or resumption of skilled or nonskilled homemaker/home health services, respite, and/or referral to other VA and/or community programs. The incumbent reviews options and services with patients and families, including costs, alternatives, risks, and benefits. The incumbent coordinates appropriate after-care and needed follow-up services following a Veteran's treatment, The incumbent coordinates with interdisciplinary team members the Veteran and caregivers to proactively address discharge and after-care needs, to include, but not limited to home care services supplies, equipment, medications, and related patient care needs and services. Preferred Experience: Inpatient case management experience in acute care setting, case management experience in out patient or inpatient setting, knowledgeable of community resources, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security benefits Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday, 7:30 AM-4:00 PM Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 53518-A and 53519-A, Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. 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. 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. 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: 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 G-39 Dated 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 GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Must be able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity, must be able to express or exchange ideals by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens.

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 Eastern Colorado HCS Denver 13611 E. Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80045 US
• Name: Rodney Riggleman
• Phone: (210) 980-9493
• Email: [email protected]