Senior Social Worker

Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Location: Iowa City
Posted on: May 3, 2021

Job Description:

Summary The Iowa City VA Health Care System is recruiting for one (1) full-time Senior Social Worker for the Patient Care Service Line. Responsibilities The GS-12 Caregiver Support Program Social Worker serves as a Senior Social Worker in the Caregiver Support Program (CSP) whose primary role is to support the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans and caregivers. The primary purpose of the work is to ensure equity of access, service and benefits to this population and that care provided is of the highest quality. The incumbent must be a skilled communicator capable of developing positive, effective relationships with Veterans, caregivers, local, state and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations. This includes implementing education, wellness, and support groups. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Utilizes advanced practice skills and judgment in the provision of services provided to caregivers enrolled in program. Knows and understands services and benefits available for caregivers from both federal, state and private sector resources and statutes, regulations and policies that govern the program. Stays abreast of current legislation directed at assisting caregivers to continue to provide caregiving in an environment that is safe for both themselves and the Veteran. Complies with Iowa City VAHCS and CSP documentation requirements, including standards for timely completion of notes, use of required documentation templates and risk assessment protocols. Assists with clinical program development, effectiveness and modification of service patterns. The incumbent utilizes outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Uses sound judgment in the interpretation of trends and patterns; application of regulation, policy, guidelines; and recommendation of program enhancements. Leads and organizes practice and process evaluation to assure continuity and peer accountability. Conducts peer review and other assigned audits. Completes all reports, data and maintains reporting requirements with outcomes related to the CSP. Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development and continuing education programs. Serves on committees, work groups and task forces at facility, VISN and national level or in community which support caregiver issues and needs. Collaborates with and contributes knowledge to a community of practice with the CSP and profession. Assists with coordination of events and programs for annual National Family Caregivers Month every November, CSP Summit and other CSP supported activities. Maintains a knowledge base of current theory and treatment modalities by reading professional journals, attending conferences, clinic seminars and teleconferences, and materials distributed through VA and private sector sources. Participates in CSP conference calls and other relevant conference calls and/or meetings as assigned. Keeps supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions encountered in area of responsibility. Conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress, psychiatric illness, emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues. Professional judgment, including the knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior, is an inherent competency applied in daily interactions with caregivers and the Veterans they care for. The incumbent has the ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment provided within approved scope of practice. Provides evidence based individual, group and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and/or case management. Provides referrals to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. If appropriate, he/she provides referrals or consults, or in some cases facilitates direct admission of a Veteran to other VA programs including but not limited to the Community Residential Care Program, Respite Program, Community Health Care Coordination Program, Hospice, Home Based Primary Care, Telehealth and the Community Nursing Home Program. Serves as a consultant for navigating the complex processes caregivers, Veterans, and families encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. Collaborate with and serve as a consultant for the VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), mental health, and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues. Coordination will include hands-on support group work involvement, and training of patient aligned care team clinical social work staff in the development and facilitation of such groups. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. 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 /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 a.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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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: GS-12, 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. Documentation is required if part of your state's requirements for providing supervision for licensure is beyond your licensure only (example: certification of continuing education credits). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (document with written demonstration of KSAs must be included with application, see required documents section): (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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-39 Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-0185, Veterans Health Administration. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light carrying, under 15 pounds; straight pulling; use of fingers; walking; standing; repeated bending; hearing without aid. 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: d.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: d.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Keywords: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Iowa City , Senior Social Worker, Other , Iowa City, Iowa