Social Worker - Caregiver Support Coordinator
What you'd do
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Major duties
The Caregiver Support Coordinator (CSC) is a Social Work Program Coordinator whose primary responsibilities are to provide clinical evidence based services and interventions; program development; caregiver, Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues; community outreach; resource development; continuous quality improvement activities; and evaluation/consultation. In addition the incumbent must be a skilled communicator capable of developing effective partnerships with local, state and federal agencies as well as non-governmental organizations. Duties include but are not limited to: The Caregiver Support Coordinator develops and implements the Caregiver Support Program specific to his/her area of assignment and insures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives. The incumbent administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to caregivers, families and Veterans. Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, caregiver demographics, equipment utilization and caregiver and Veteran satisfaction. Develops implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services. The incumbent participates in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions. Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues. Creates educational tools, develops programs and implements training focused on specific caregiver needs/issues. Provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees, Veterans, families and caregivers. Provides ongoing consultation and support to colleagues regarding caregiver support. Develops and facilitates caregiver support groups (face-to-face or VANTS telephone line) and educational programs. Distributes educational materials provided by VA, local, state and national caregiver organizations. The incumbent 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 serves as the major consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes caregivers, Veterans and families encounter when interacting with government and community agencies. The incumbent will collaborate with the patient aligned care team, 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. The incumbent will develop a library of caregiver support information material for distribution through the various inpatient/outpatient and specialty clinic settings. Educational material must be specific to the age group serviced in the clinic, i.e. Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson disease in the general and geriatric settings and PTSD and TBI information in the general, OEF/OIF, post-deployment and Polytrauma Center settings. The incumbent in collaboration with the with other clinical staff and program managers will establish a caregiver support protocol (resources, education and training) sensitive to the issues of the caregivers who are providing care to our youngest returning Veterans. The incumbent will develop a data monitoring system to measure the efficacy of the program. The incumbent collects, analyzes and reports program data to local management, VISN Caregiver Support Coordinator Lead and the National Caregiver Support Program, Care Management and Social Work Service, Office of Patient Care Services. Evaluates program progress and outcomes and utilizes data to continuously modify and improve the program and processes. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Adhoc as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. 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. Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience Licensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. 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-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
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