Social Worker (Home-Based Primary Care)

Prescott, Arizona, Arizona, The Social Worker serves as a member of the interdisciplinary Home-Based Primary Care treatment team which is under the administration of Geriatrics and Extended Care Service Line. The Social Worker provides direct services to adult and geriatric Veterans enrolled in the HBPC Program with high quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and to coordinate linkage with appropriate VA and community service providers as needed under direct supervision of a licensed provider. 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 Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. 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. Licensure: Full, unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level. [(1)Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations.

This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. ] 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: In addition to the basic requirements above, candidates must meet the following grade requirements. GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above. Candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. 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.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran’s strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. GS-11 Experience/Education: Candidates must possess at least 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; or a Doctoral degree.

Additionally, candidates must demonstrate the following KSA’s 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. Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work.

Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran’s strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. 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-09 to GS-11. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 – Social Worker Qualification Standard. Additional information regarding the assignments at the full performance level can be found in the appendix referenced above. Physical Requirements: Involve active listening, reading, observing, and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior, walking, speaking, writing reports, writing policies and procedures, writing clinical notes, using office equipment such as computers, telephones, fax machines, photocopy machines and travels throughout the NAVAHCS community and to outlying rural areas to perform outreach and to visit patients in the community and in their homes. [“***This is an Open and Continuous announcement for this position and can be taken down at any time.

*** VA Careers – Social Work: https://youtube. com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU This position is responsible for assessment, planning, and provision of case management services in the HBPC Program. The incumbent coordinates a variety of activities including outreach, interdisciplinary activities, psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, consultation/education to Medical Center staff and community-based service providers, the collection and maintenance of statistical data, and the supervision of students as assigned. The incumbent provides psychosocial interventions and case management services to Veterans with complex medical, social, and behavioral conditions in which routine clinic-based care cannot be accessed and/or is not effective. Patients served under the HBPC Program typically are those who have impaired mobility due to disability or functional limitation, inability to cope with the clinic environment due to cognitive, physical, or psychiatric impairment, and the need for frequent coordinated interventions from multiple disciplines. Duties of the position include but are not limited to: Developing an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, and family members/significant others, whenever possible. Contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran, family members/significant others and other HBPC clinical staff. Collaborating with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran’s needs for non-institutional, institutional services/programs and entitlements. Using the current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. Acting as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/significant others.

Making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans. Providing education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans and families/significant others to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Coordinating of referrals of non-institutional services such as HBPC, ADHC/CADHC, home hospice and skilled and non-skilled homecare services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members. Providing the Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. Entering all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 3:30 PM Telework: This position may be authorized for Telework upon managerial approval. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required”]

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