The social worker for the Community Living Center (CLC) oversees the coordination of care and services for the residents residing on the CLC. Their heath care, psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem solving. The incumbent gives direct service, administrative, and educational activities for the Residents and Staff. The incumbent serves on the interdisciplinary treatment team.

Duties

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The incumbent is responsible for completing the following duties/responsibilities: The social worker has program responsibility to the Residents at any point and all points on the continuum of care from pre-admission to discharge. The incumbent is a master's prepared social worker, practicing at the advanced level and has specialized knowledge of practice related to in-patient short and long term care and Rehabilitation Care. A full range of medical and psychiatric social work services to Residents and their families who present problems from common to complex psychosocial diagnosis. The incumbent will review the applications for admission and plan discharge for all the CLC residents as appropriate. The incumbent will coordinate the treatment planning process of assigned Residents with other disciplines. The incumbent will participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. The incumbent will provide consultation/education to Residents 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 a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, and family counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. The incumbent will address Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area. The incumbent will provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate patient/family support groups as appropriate. The incumbent will as appropriate , supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker. The incumbent will coordinate treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care. The incumbent will participate in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the LSLM/Geriatrics. The incumbent will maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with regulatory and over sight agencies for CWM/VAMC. The incumbent will comply with the Medical Center policy and procedures. The incumbent will assist Residents and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability andterminal illness and death. Ability to provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational,and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture. Ability to work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems utilizing individual, group, and family counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Basic knowledge of psychosocial treatment modalities and, under supervision, 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. Work Schedule: Monday though Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j. 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 SW Licensure Summary by State. 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: Social Worker, GS-11: In addition to the Basic Qualifications, additional specialized experience and education is required as described below. (1) 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR (2) 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. (3) 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. Preferred Experience: Nursing Home experience; Geriatric experience. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

Education

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. Applicants may only be selected for this vacancy at the GS-11 grade level.


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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Northampton VA Medical Center 421 North Main Street Leeds, MA 01053 US
• Name: William Bernard
• Phone: 203 932-5711 X8234
• Email: [email protected]