This position is located in the Fayetteville Coastal Healthcare System locations under Social Work Division (SWD) of the Behavioral Health Service Line (BHSL). Incumbent is assigned to the Geriatric (Geri) Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Clinic. The social worker is assigned to a program area and provides coverage across all outpatient Geri PACT clinics within the healthcare system and coordinates with the Geri Emergency Department (ED).

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Incumbent is an advanced licensed social worker assigned to the Geri Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The incumbent uses a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans and their families/significant others. Senior Social Worker's responsibilities include case management, care coordination, the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care. These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition, untreated or under-treated mental health or substance abuse condition, economic instability, legal problems, and inadequate housing and transportation. Referrals originate from any member of the interdisciplinary team or non-Geri PACT team, from Veterans and/or their families who call, are assigned to the Geri Pact Senior Social Worker panel or walk-in for assistance, and from community professionals. The incumbent must complete thorough assessments to determine the underlying causes of the presenting problem, the interpersonal and environmental factors impacting the problem, and its effect on the veteran's ability and desire to comply with the treatment recommendations by the multidisciplinary team. The Geri PACT Senior Social Worker will help the veteran and family to understand the contributing factors to the problem(s), will discuss with them the pros and cons of possible short-term and long-term solutions, and encourage them to make positive and lasting changes to reduce stressors. The Senior Social Worker will coordinate with VA staff and community agencies to assist in problem solving as needed. Many veterans who make up the Geriatric Special Population PACT are significantly impacted by social determinants of health. Collaborative partnership and case management with members of the outpatient interdisciplinary team is provided in order to coordinate a collaborative effort to meet the agreed upon goals for a Veteran's treatment needs and include collaboration with community professionals regarding needed services for Veterans and/or their families. Services include but are not limited to interventions to increase access to care, including transportation assistance and advanced care planning, economic assistance, including assistance with medical bills, financial aid services and strategies to increase income (employment, vocational rehabilitation, VA benefits, disability), and/or reduce expenses, coordinate and facilitate placement including finding the appropriate housing for the patient's level of need (affordable independent housing, homeless shelters, group and family care homes, Veterans Homes, assisted living, nursing homes, respite care, and hospice care) and place orders for necessary services and evaluations to assist with functional decline. Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans in the Geri Primary Care Clinic and/or their families. The incumbent is able to independently work with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. Effective social work in the Geri Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) context often occurs over a series of several visits where the Senior Social Worker serves as a strong advocate who champions the rights of those in which they serve. Must independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments that take a historic approach to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. The incumbent must be able to utilize this assessment in facilitating the Veteran's maximum use of treatment for attainment of the highest level of independence that is safely possible. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

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. 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 the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of Social Work. Licensure. Individuals assigned as Senior Social Worker must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Grade Determinations/Minimum Qualifications for GS-12 Senior Social Worker: The candidate must have 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 year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level: 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. 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 professional knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) listed below. 1. 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. 2. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard Physical Requirements: Able to meet the physical demands of the position, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified persons with disabilities to perform the essential functions. They must have good manual dexterity. Must be able to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word. Must be able to view and read information on computer screens. Position involves siting, standing, bending, and walking. Incumbent must be able to exercise a high degree of emotional and mental discipline at all times in order to continue to carry out duties effectively.

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 Fayetteville NC VA Medical Center 2300 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 US
• Name: Chauntell Farmer
• Phone: 919-579-2548
• Email: [email protected]