Social Worker - Patient Aligned Care Team

Full Job Description

The Organizational Location of the Position is: in Social Work Service at Dallas VA Medical Center, Garland VA Medical Center, Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center in Bonham, the associated VA clinics and community-based outpatient clinics within the (VANTHCS), Dallas, TX.

The incumbent independently works with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems utilizing social work clinical skills within the bounds of his /her privileges.

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.

Health Profession Trainees (HPT's) 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 - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C.

7403(f) Education and/or Experience Combination - You must possess 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.

Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.

License or Certification - You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

*Exception - For assignments at the GS-9 level, VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations.

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.

Grandfather Provision.

A Social Worker employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (9/10/2019) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.

Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations: GS-09 Social Worker -Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.

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 GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11, you must possess 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.

Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience.

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 patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members.

In collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams, identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity.

Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals.

-OR- 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.

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 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, educational, and other 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: 2 years of experience providing case management services; 2 years of experience conducting psychosocial assessments; experience coordinating community based services including information, education and referrals; experience working with an interdisciplinary team Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: See Additional Information Major Duties:

The Social Worker use their skills in assessing and treating psychosocial problems of Veterans and their families/significant others.

Social work responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial problems that cause distress, often impacting the health condition and creating barriers to care.

These stressors can include adjustment to the current medical condition, untreated or under-treated mental health or substance abuse conditions, social determinants of health such as economic instability, legal problems, and inadequate housing and transportation.

The incumbent must complete comprehensive assessments to determine the underlying cases of the presenting problem(s), the interpersonal and environmental factors impacting the problem, and its effect on the patient's ability and desire to comply with the treatment recommendations by the multidisciplinary team.

Through shared decision making the social worker will assist the patient and family to understand the contributing factors to the problem(s).

Incumbent will discuss the pros and cons of possible short term and long-term solutions and encourages them to make positive and lasting changes to reduce stressors.

The social worker will coordinate with VA staff and community agencies to assist in problem solving.

Case management with members of the outpatient interdisciplinary team is provided to coordinate a collaborative effort, to meet the agreed upon goals, and include collaboration with community professionals regarding needed services for Veterans and/or their families.

The incumbent is sensitive to the ethnic, cultural, and age diversity of the Veteran population and adjusts intervention and treatment plans as appropriate.

Consults specialists in planning treatment for Veterans with co-morbidities when needed.

Establishes and maintains effective relationships with Veterans in the Primary Care Clinic and/or their families.

The incumbent w o r k s with Veterans and their families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems.

Effective social work in the Patient Aligned Care Team context often occurs over a series of several visits.

Utilizes knowledge of the PACT team approach and the role of each health and allied health care team members including the role of the social worker in the PACT model.

Assures timely, appropriate, and patient-centered care is provided during each stage of care and facilitates transitions across VHA facilities and with community providers.

Utilizes a Whole Health Patient-Centered approach with the goal of empowering and equipping the Veteran to direct their own health and well-being and to live their life to the fullest.

Assesses for signs, symptoms, and behaviors of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence when providing services to Veterans and caregivers and serves as a consultant regarding abuse, neglect, exploitation, and intimate partner violence to multidisciplinary team members.

Performs other duties as assigned by social work supervisor and/or social work leadership.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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 Functional Statement #: 53865-F, 53866-F VA Careers - Social Work: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional