Social Worker – Palliative Care/Specialty Care

Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa, The Palliative Care (PC) Social Worker/Specialty Social Worker plans, develops, and implements Social Work services within the PC clinic and assigned Specialty Care clinics of the VA Central Iowa Health Care System. 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: (a) Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part. ) (b) English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U. S. C. § 7403(f).

(c) Education and Experience. 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. (d) 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/. 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. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master’s level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. GS-9 Grade Requirements: (a) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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. GS-11 Grade Requirements: (a) 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; OR (b) 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. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Preferred Experience: Medical social work, palliative and hospice care social work **All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification.

It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. ** References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, dated September 10, 2019. 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-9 to GS-11 [“**This is an Open Continuous Announcement. The first review/referral of applications will occur 15 business days after the opening of this announcement; after this date applicants will be reviewed on a weekly basis. ** The (. 75 FTEE) PC Social Worker functions collaboratively within the interdisciplinary Palliative Care Consult Team (PCCT) and (. 25 FTEE) Social Worker in the Specialty Care Clinics. Clinical Social Work services are provided to PC and Specialty Patient Care population with frequent complex and unpredictable caseload requirements. Such services include, but are not limited to: Completes psychosocial evaluation and assessment and periodic reassessments of each patient served, which provide a comprehensive social database to identify psychological and social needs and the appropriate treatment and services to be provided.

Develops and implements realistic and achievable Social Work treatment plans, as part of the interdisciplinary treatment plans that reflect an ability to effectively utilize a broad range of intervention modalities. Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. Advocates on behalf of the veteran to ensure that services and benefits are obtained in a timely manner and in keeping with the VA’s goals for excellence in customer service. Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with PC veteran and their families. Manages and coordinates provision of the following services as appropriate to PC: Activities of daily living (ADLs) personal care; nutrition management, in-home hospice services, medical supplies, Durable Medical Equipment (DME), leisure and/or avocational interests, peer counseling for families, caregivers, and/or significant others, transportation and finances, bereavement to the veteran’s family, and identification, development, and utilization of other applicable community resources. Refers veteran to other organizations and community resources (i. e. housing alternatives, personal care services, transportation resources, etc. , or other VA governmental resources) for services not available from the appropriate VAMC facility. Maintains a current, productive network of referral resources to include community hospice providers, outpatient medical/psychiatric care, etc.

and with Veterans Services Organizations. Provides advance directive (Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care) information and education to veteran and family, assisting in preparing these documents. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required”]

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