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.

Duties

The incumbent is assigned to Community Nursing Home Program (CNHP) at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Duties will include: Primary duties of the Social Worker (Community Nursing Home) will include: The incumbent will be responsible for the coordination of referrals/placements to the CNHP and will be responsible for ensuring Veterans in the CNHP meet VA eligibility requirements. Assesses administrative eligibility, reviewing medical documentation from medical providers or the electronic health record, and collaborating with medical providers as needed to determine clinical eligibility. At times, this may include educating Veterans and their families on institutional care availability and resources. Other duties for Social Workers in Puget Sound may include: The incumbent will conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members. The incumbent is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. The incumbent will provide individual, family, and group counseling as appropriate. The incumbent will provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives, and VA benefits. The incumbent will act as a consultant to other team/staff members. The incumbent will act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. The incumbent will provide case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care in Community Nursing Homes. The incumbent will provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. The incumbent will provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate. The incumbent may, as appropriate, supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker. The incumbent will coordinate treatment and communicate within appropriate service lines to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans. The incumbent will participate in process improvement initiatives, change management initiatives, and/or committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the CNH Program Coordinator. The incumbent will maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with TJC, VA, and medical center policy and procedures. The incumbent will assist patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness, and death. The incumbent will document oversight visits and social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing the electronic health record and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. The incumbent will liaison between VA and community clinical staff, to facilitate coordination of care needs to enhance the delivery of co-managed care as need The incumbent will provide oversight visits at Community Nursing Homes within the VA Puget Sound catchment area to assess Veteran satisfaction, Veteran safety, and quality of care. The incumbent will provide education and support to staff at Community Nursing Homes to ensure Veteran needs are met. The incumbent will communicate and document patient safety events per programmatic guidelines. The incumbent may participate in the Community Nursing Home initial and annual assessment process. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm, Compressed available/negotiable Telework: Available, Ad-Hoc, other telework options may be authorized at supervisory discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED 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/. 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. 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. 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. TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 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. 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. 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience completing referrals to the VA Community Nursing Home Program, Experience working in a telework or hybrid telework environment, Experience working with community partners. References: VHA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39, Qualifications for Social Workers 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: Light lifting (under 15 lbs), use of fingers, walking (6 hours), standing (2 hours), repeated bending (6 hours), operation of a motor vehicle, hearing (aid may be permitted). Environmental Factors: working with hands in water, working closely with others.

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 Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Michelle Yahne
• Phone: 503-220-8262 X53055
• Email: [email protected]