Social Worker

Summary

The Northern Colorado VA Clinic - Social Work - is currently recruiting for one (1) Social Worker Patient Aligned Care Team ( PACT) - Loveland - CO.

Qualifications

Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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
• 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: 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: 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
• Grandfathering Provision: 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
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-9 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 Social Worker Licensure: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Experience or Education: 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• 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
• Physical Requirements: The Social Worker must be in good overall health and capable of performing primarily light and sedentary duties such as desk work and computer tasks
• They should be able to engage in light to moderate physical activities - including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying office supplies
• The role requires handling emotionally demanding situations with patience and emotional control - with reasonable accommodations if necessary - ensuring the safety of themselves and others
• Additionally - a high level of self-awareness is essential due to the stressful nature of working with patients and their families.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Social Worker provides comprehensive social work services to Veterans receiving outpatient services CVAHCS - as well as to their family members
• Screening/Assessment - In conjunction with the interdisciplinary treatment team - The PACT Social Worker screens and assesses the veteran's psychosocial needs and barriers in order to facilitate his or her discharge from the hospital Through collaborative relationships with the veteran - his or her family/caregiver and other VA programs and VA staff - The PACT Social Worker coordinates the gathering of information vital to the process of setting appropriate discharge goals and discharge time frames
• Assessment information may include - but is not limited to: Marital/family/social status
• Concern for abuse / neglect / financial exploitation
• Employment/financial status
• Use of entitlement programs
• Legal problems/issues
• Impact of medical problems on psychosocial functioning
• Strengths/Limitations
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - From screening/assessment information - The PACT Social Worker determines realistic goals that consider such factors as a) the appropriate level of discharge care - b) the setting conducive to providing such care - c) the need for interventions to enhance caregiver support to allow for the least restrictive level of care - d) transportation options/barriers and e) the steps to obtaining resources (VA or community) that make the transition from the inpatient setting successful
• Advance Directive Screening and completion - The PACT Social Worker will screen Veterans while in the outpatient setting to identify need to provide education and offer assistance with completing an advance directive
• Referral to service providers - To facilitate the continuity of a veteran's recovery - the PACT Social Worker will arrange referrals to needed VA and/or community resources (e.g. - home health care - assisted living facilities - extended care facilities/nursing homes - services available through area agencies on aging - community support groups - hospice care - community-based extended care)
• Advocacy - The PACT Social Worker will advocate for the Veteran to ensure that he or she has access to all needed care and resources within VA and in the community
• Crisis Intervention - The PACT Social Worker will assess and intervene in any medical or psychiatric crises presented by the veteran and participate in developing crisis management and safety plans to minimize the event of future crises
• Supportive counseling - The PACT Social Worker will provide the veteran and his or her family/caregivers with time-limited - supportive counseling
• Non-patient care responsibilities - The PACT Social Worker will enter all veteran/family contacts in the electronic medical record using appropriate formats and templates
• The incumbent uses sound judgment and critical thinking and has strong teamwork and communication skills
• In unusual and/or complex administrative and clinical problems - the incumbent initiates consultation with the supervisor
• The incumbent is required to maintain current BLS certification and to remain current on all licensures
• The incumbent will also be required to perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor
• The incumbent will provide case management to those who have been identified in the CCICM program
• The incumbent will provide Whole Health education and facilitate related support groups as appropriate
• Incumbent must posses and maintain a current valid state driver's license
• 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) 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 #: 442-50894-A
• 442-50895-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.