Social Worker
What you'd do
The Palliative Care Social Worker, assigned to the Social Work Service at the STVHCS, serves in support of the facility's Palliative Care Clinics, as well as the Hematology and Oncology clinics. As an active member of the Geriatrics & Extended Care (GEC) Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Team, Cancer Committee and Oncology/Hematology teams, the incumbent provides consultation, case management, and evidence-based therapy to address the psychosocial needs of Veterans and caregivers.
Major duties
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties may include but are not limited to: GS-9 Incumbent assists Veterans served in the Palliative, Oncology and Hematology clinics to navigate care, facilitate access and follow-up. The incumbent provides coordination of care within the Palliative Care system as well as PACT, inpatient medicine and other services within the health care system. The incumbent provides social work services to Palliative outpatient clinics as determined by patient care needs, as well as the primary duty with Oncology and Hematology. Under supervision, this social worker will facilitate Bereavement psychotherapy groups and will address consults as needed. The incumbent provides education about resources to Veterans and Caregivers receiving services in the Palliative Care clinics, including specific resources for the diagnosis of Cancer. Resources may include options for hospice or placement. Under supervision, the social worker will complete assessments via phone, VVC or face to face. The incumbent will work within the Palliative, Oncology and Hematology teams to provide care management and coordination of care with other sections. Incumbent establishes and maintains professional interactions and relationships with stakeholders both within the VA and the Community, with focus on population served in the specialty clinic. The incumbent utilizes knowledge of case management and care coordination to assist Veterans. The incumbent understands the role of health and allied health care team members as well as understands the role of the social worker in the clinics served and STVHCS. The incumbent facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner. The incumbent serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. The incumbent provides education to Veterans and families in regards My health E-vet, Whole Health program and Community Care options. The incumbent utilizes knowledge of benefits and services, community resources, and the process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies to educate Veterans. The incumbent responds to consults or alerts via TEAMS or CPRS within established time frames and actively works to meet Veteran's psychosocial needs through face to face, phone or VVC appointments. The incumbent follows STVHCS standard operating procedures for evaluating and mitigating suicide risk to include: Completes the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale (C-SSRS) annually or more often as indicated, the Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation, and a Safety Plan via shared template in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) on all patients at intake, with Veterans with suicidal ideation and on any Veteran whose record is flagged "High Risk for Suicide." Additionally, completes the Suicide Behavior and Overdose Report (SBOR) as clinically indicated. All clinical decisions will be discussed with clinical supervisor while the incumbent is under supervision. Under supervision, completes other duties as assigned. GS-11 The incumbent assists Veterans served in the Palliative, Oncology and Hematology clinics to navigate care, facilitate access and follow-up. Additionally, the incumbent provides coordination of care within the Palliative Care system as well as PACT, inpatient medicine and other services within the health care system. Incumbent collects and follows up on Cancer Distress Screening Tool per the Cancer committee policy. The incumbent provides clinical social work services to Oncology and Hematology but will also be responsible for Palliative outpatient clinics as determined by patient care needs. The incumbent facilitates Bereavement psychotherapy groups and addresses consults as needed. The incumbent provides education about resources to Veterans and Caregivers receiving services in the Palliative Care clinics, including specific resources for the diagnosis of Cancer. Resources may include options for hospice or placement. Duties continued under Education Section Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Available on an ad-hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55997-F; 55998-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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: You must be a citizen of the United States 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: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. 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: 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. Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. GS-11 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- 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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 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: EBP Certification Prior experience in similar role or with population served Clinical supervision certification Quality or utilization management experience Former VA Trainee Licensed to practice at independent practice Level Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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.
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