This Senior Social Worker is assigned primarily to the Emergency Department(ED) to provide direct services for Adult Veterans and their families who present for services. The incumbent may also cover social work needs for Veterans admitted to medical acute/critical and inpatient mental health with emergency department social work as the priority. The incumbent collaborates with ED staff, the triage officer, and the on-call psychiatrist regarding assessments, disposition, and referrals.

Duties

Functions as a care coordinator to ensure that access to and services provided for healthcare meets the needs of the patient, as defined by the Veteran/Caregiver. Understand the person-in-situation and the influences that family and community have in impacting the healthcare needs of Veterans. Provides therapeutic services to individuals, families, and groups covering a wide variety of psychosocial issues not limited to the geriatric setting. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans and ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population. Collects, develops, and analyzes data using appropriate clinical indicators and monitoring activities to assure that the care provided is of the highest quality. Provides consultation and education to VA staff and community-based service providers including medical residents and Social Work students. Documents Social Work activities and interventions in patient's clinical record utilizing the computerized patient record system (CPRS) and ensures appropriate hand-off when transferring patient care. Comprehensive team which delivers primary care to Veteran patients in a longitudinal rather than episodic fashion and which has as its focus: prevention; health promotion, coordination, and chronic disease management. Functions as an independent provider within the PACT. Must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial and behavioral health problems of Veterans, caregivers, and their families/significant others. Responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, which often impact the health condition and create barriers to care. These stressors can include access to appropriate care, adjustment to the current medical condition(s), untreated or under-treated mental health or substance abuse conditions, economic instability, legal problems, functional limitations, inadequate housing, and issues with transportation. Referrals typically originate from any member of the interdisciplinary team, from Veterans, their caregivers and/or family members who call or walk-in for assistance, and from community professionals. Coordinate with other VA staff and community agencies to assist in problem solving as needed. Case management with members of the outpatient interdisciplinary team is provided to coordinate a collaborative effort to meet the agreed upon goals for a Veteran's treatment needs and include liaison responsibilities 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 directives; 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; identifying 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, hospice care, etc.); and assessment for necessary services to assist with functional decline. Conduct psychosocial and behavioral health assessments in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran patient, family members and significant others; interviewing Veterans and family members/significant others and writing the assessment. Demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and possesses skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients and can address issues related to their physical limitations, psychological needs and age-associated illnesses and conditions. Understand the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran and be able to provide current and advanced practice interventions to the treatment of this Veteran population. Experience and knowledge to be able to step in and facilitate, in collaboration with the Access Crisis Team and within approved clinical privileges, in the event of a crisis onsite. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 12 hour shifts (11:30am - 12:00 am) with rotating weekends off Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 02148-12 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. English Language Proficiency: must be proficient in written and spoken English 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/. 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. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION REGARDING ALABAMA SW LICENSURE. 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). For more information, please see the Additional Information section of this announcement. Preferred Experience: Experience providing mental health care within the VA Experience coordinating care among providers/programs/facilities Experience assessing risk and identifying appropriate treatment options Willingness to be flexible with daily schedule Ability to multi-task Experience talking with Veterans about the importance of recovery-oriented episodes of care, measurement based care, and evidence-based psychotherapy. Grade Determinations: GS12 - Senior Social Worker Experience/Education: 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. 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. Licensure/Certification: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: a. 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. b. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. c. 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. d. 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. e. 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. Advanced Practice Level: For all assignments above the full performance (journey) level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Advanced Practice Level is defined as the ability to provide independent and expert clinical psychosocial and case management services in a specialized area of practice to Veterans who tend to have serious and severe crises, may lack any familial and community support, may be poor self-monitors, may frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or may have major deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. The advanced practice or senior social worker has an increased depth and breadth of practice skills; has expertise in participating in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching; demonstrates leadership in developing and expanding professional intervention strategies; demonstrates leadership in defining and attending to professional practice issues; and has the ability to expand the conceptual knowledge of the profession. The advanced practice or senior social worker will make independent professional decisions and recommendations for agency action; the consequences to the Veteran of these decisions and actions may be quite serious. Work involves intensive social work services requiring the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of complex social work practice skills not typically required in routine social work interventions. The advanced practice or senior social worker has mastered a range of specialized interventions and provides consultation to colleagues, renders professional opinions based on experience and expertise, develops new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention, and incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment. The advanced practice or senior social worker utilizes outcome evaluations to further treatment and designs system changes based on empirical findings. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standards Dated September 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12.The grade at which a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting/carrying, under 15 pounds Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Both hands required Walking/standing, 1 hour Operation of a motor vehicle Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously Must have vision, both eyes required Depth perception Ability to distinguish basic colors Hearing, aid permitted Cognitive stability Mental/emotional stability

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Failure to provide transcripts may result in non-referral of your application if education cannot be verified.

Must 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.

NOTE: If your school was accredited by CSWE at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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.


Additional information
**NOTE** Licenses from the state of Alabama no longer meet VA regulatory requirements for independent licensure. To qualify for the assignment of Senior Social Worker at the GS-12 level, you must have 2 years of experience at the advanced practice level, earning while having an active, unrestricted advanced practice license in a U.S. state or territory other than Alabama.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement


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 Boise VA Medical Center 500 West Fort Street Boise, ID 83702 US
• Name: Craig Smith
• Phone: (813) 893-4526
• Email: [email protected]