Senior Social Worker
What you'd do
The Military to VA (M2VA) Program Manager oversees all transition and coordination of care activities for Post 9/11 Servicemembers and Veterans (SMNs) treated at the facility. Their health care and psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem solving.
Major duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include, but are not limited to: The M2VA Program Manager provides administrative oversight of the Transition and Care Management (TCM) Program, including planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures; developing program goals and objectives; and monitoring, operating, and evaluating the functioning of the program. Follows Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policy requirements and develops local systems to identify and track Post 9/11 SMNs served by the facility and community who belong in this special priority group. Serves as the facility point of contact for all inquiries regarding transition of Post 9/11 SMNs and as point of contact for Post 9/11 SMNs seeking health care from the facility. Establishes performance and outcome standards for the facility TCM Program that promote quality and efficiency of services in coordination with the overall goals of the medical center and those of the VISN and VA Central Office, as well as evaluate and document the program's effectiveness. Develops a data-driven continuous quality improvement program with established goals and outcomes to evaluate and document the program's effectiveness. Manages the daily operation of the facility TCM Program and provides accountability for program effectiveness and modification of service patterns to enhance customer satisfaction. Identifies gaps in services and develops a plan, in consultation with TCM staff and other departments as appropriate, to make the best possible resources available to meet program needs. The employee develops and implements a plan for outreach to extend services to Post 9/11 SMNs who may benefit from care, but who do not presently use VA for their health care needs. Advocates on behalf of the Post 9/11 SMNs to ensure that services and benefits are obtained promptly and in keeping with the VA's goal for excellence in customer service. Works collaboratively with staff at Vet Centers and the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office. Ensures that all Post 9/11 SMNs are screened for the need for case management services and that those in need of nurse and/or social worker case managers are assigned accordingly, particularly those who are severely injured or ill. Monitors and reviews monthly CMTRA updates for compliance with the clinically determined contact plan. The employee completes thorough psychosocial assessments and includes pertinent information in all required areas of functioning to determine appropriate diagnoses and other treatment-related conclusions. The employee provides a DSM diagnosis to determine the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their families. Employee utilizes various treatment modalities of individual and group work, casework, community organization, and community outreach activities to alleviate or remove problems that interfere with the Veteran participants' ability to achieve independence. The employee provides psychotherapy as individual, group &/or family interventions when clinically indicated/appropriate and when of therapeutic benefit to the recipients. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 / Senior Social Worker 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. 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. 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/. Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. 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. 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience with Medical Social Work or Case Management; Experience leading an initiative, program, or team in some capacity is preferred, but not required. 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: The work requires sitting, bending, stooping, and walking consistent with the delivery of services in the office, hospital, and community. The position may entail lifting of no more than 25 pounds on an occasional basis. Whenever possible, carts and dollies will be utilized as an alternative to lifting. In carrying out responsibilities, operation of a motor vehicle with a valid driver's license is required. The employee must meet the requirements to use a government vehicle in accordance with VHA directive 2008-020. It may be necessary for the employee to travel throughout the Altoona VAMC catchment area where the employee conducts interviews with the Veterans, family members, representatives of community health, welfare, and law enforcement agencies.
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