The Social Worker in this position functions as the Senior Social Worker for Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System's Primary Care Aligned Care Team (PACT) and the Southern Arizona Gender Affirming Experience (SAGE) Clinic Program Coordinator.

Duties

Major duties include: Provides clinical duties to include a full range of social work within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes comprehensive biopsychosocial spiritual assessments, social determinants of health screenings, Advance Directives, Goals of Care, case management, crisis intervention, risk/suicide assessments, documentation, safety planning, abuse/neglect/exploitation reporting, psychoeducation, resource referrals, coordination of care within SAVAHCS and community stakeholders, discharge care planning, assessment for gender affirming care, and other services as appropriate. Ensures timely warm handoffs, communication, and collaboration during transitions in care for the Veteran both within VA and community systems, locally and nationally. Assesses/screens and reports any Veteran safety concerns in a timely manner to appropriate entities to include suicide safety planning and abuse/neglect reporting. Facilitates Veteran's self-determination and self-management through tenants of advocacy, shared and informed decision making, counseling, and health education, and engages other VHA and community services as needed and ensures that adequate follow-up care has been brokered, when appropriate. Receives and responds to the Southern Arizona Gender Affirming Experience (SAGE) Program Consults and referrals, manages the active Veteran roster, provides outreach and education related to the Transgender/Gender Diverse and Differences of Sexual Development Veteran population, and creates a positive environment which enhances care delivery and encourages development of gender affirming, clinically competent staff. Serves as subject matter expert and a facility point of contact for the medical care coordination needs of Veterans using other health insurance (OHI) for care currently excluded in the medical benefits package and works in close collaboration with the facility LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC). Facilitate completion of surgical support letters for gender expansive Veterans seeking surgery through OHI. Provides education related to coping with health conditions, VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives and Life Sustaining Treatment options, guardianship, insurance, and co-pay(s) information, etc., and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate VA staff, programs, and community resources. Maintain effective professional working relationships with medical center staff, subject matter experts, Veteran's support systems, leadership, and community agencies in the provision of safe, appropriate, effective, Veteran-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care and services. Utilizes and maintains current knowledge on Veteran-centered whole health and a collaborative partnership approach, that is responsive to the Veteran's culture, linguistic sensitivity, preferences, needs and values. Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), The Joint Commission, VA and medical center policy and procedures. Implements evidence-base care guidelines in the care of the Veteran, as available and applicable to the practice setting and/or Veteran population served. Uses social work models of intervention appropriate to the unique needs of each Veteran and maintain competence in case management and health and human service delivery. Adheres to national and local policies on clinical documentation practices and documents social work activity in medical record comprehensively, timely, promptly, accurately, and concisely. Provides consultation, training, and education to VA staff on the role of social work, social work practices, psychosocial resources at the VA and in the community, and research pertaining to their scope of practice. Adheres and maintains compliance with federal, state, and local directives, policies, operating procedures, rules and regulations, accreditation, and certification standards. Adheres to and active participate in a High Reliability Organizational (HRO) practice and participates in process improvement, identifies program deficiencies, takes action to correct same and keep supervisor informed of all pertinent activities. Attends Primary Care Aligned Care Team (PACT) program trainings and meeting, social work staff meetings and daily huddles. Supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced Social Worker. Serve the Medical Center and social work profession in a variety of capacities, such as committee, unit councils, workgroups, special assignments, or other duties as assigned that are necessary to meet program goals and VA Mission. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Licensure: Candidate 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. Education: Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. Preferred Experience: 1+ year of specialized knowledge of assessment and treatment of individuals who identify as transgender and/or gender diverse in a health care system, 1+ year direct care experience with assessing and treating individuals who identify as transgender and/or gender diverse in a health care system, 1+ year of experience working with individuals who identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and 1+ year experience with program coordination. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Senior Social Worker Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, applicants 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. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of 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. Assignments. Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site; a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity. The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics. The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The senior social worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work include sitting, standing, walking, standing, driving, pushing equipment and wheelchairs, lifting, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and carrying light items such as papers, books, or other supplies. The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks. The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the Veteran/patient population and their families/caregivers. A level of self- awareness and emotional intelligence is essential. The incumbent will drive a government vehicle and must have a current, valid driver's license.

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 Tucson VA Medical Center 3601 South Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ 85723 US
• Name: Cherie Mennel
• Phone: 520-792-1450 X6213
• Email: [email protected]