Social Worker

Summary The Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program provides personalized - supportive services to families - caregivers - and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensures Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service. Summary The Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program provides personalized - supportive services to families - caregivers - and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensures Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service. Qualifications 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 United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy 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 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 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) Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation (1) All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: (2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - 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 journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions

• 3) 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
• 4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• 5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C.

7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS- 0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protection If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker Grade Determinations: 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 Education 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 Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the basic qualifications and experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified 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 Physical Requirements: Work is generally performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable diseases common of the client population The incumbent may be required to work an irregular tour and/or weekends as the need arises. Duties VA Careers - Social Work: VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Social Worker - Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) provides consultation on the administrative and clinical considerations of the Decedent Affairs/SAMS Program - and is responsible for carrying out the following SAMS Program administrative functions - including - but not limited to: Benefits Counseling and Family Support Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits Helps Veterans and NOK prearrange burial - interment - or cremation - as desired by the Veteran Advises surviving relatives about burial benefits and other potential benefits provided by VA Reviews eligibility and entitlement of burial and death allowances and advises on the process for applying for those benefits Informs Veteran - caregiver - and NOK of available supportive services within the medical facility - such as Chaplaincy and Social Work - to provide support at end of life and immediately following death Provides supportive counseling and grief/bereavement support to survivors during the period between death and interment Requests that any clinical staff involved with care prior to death contact the survivor within 24 hours of the pronouncement of death Death Notification and Documentation Reviews daily death notifications Submits completed death certificates to the designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office Requests death certificates from the County Registrar's Office for all external notifications of a Veteran's death and updates records Records and transcribes providers' requests for permission from the legal next of kin or other designee by law to conduct an autopsy Unclaimed Remains and Burial Coordination Ensures Veterans with no relatives (unclaimed remains) are provided with a dignified funeral and burial at VA (contract or purchase order) expense Collaborates with VA offices to locate NOK when not readily known Personal Effects and Estate Coordination Completes required VA authorizations to release personal effects and any remaining funds in the patient's account to NOK or a designated party Coordinates the disposition of personal funds and effects with the Office of General Counsel for Veterans who have been adjudicated as incompetent Care Team Coordination Collaborate with the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) - Pharmacy - and Prosthetics to cancel all appointments - to include orders Palliative Care and Hospice Support May provide social work support to Veterans and families receiving inpatient Hospice or outpatient Palliative Care services Conducts individual psychosocial assessments and provides one-on-one supportive counseling for Veterans and families in hospice or palliative care settings Assists Veterans and families with Advance Directives for Healthcare - including education on care preferences and Life-Sustaining Treatment decisions Program - Education - and Community Engagement Participates in facility initiatives relating to No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA) Partners with staff and leadership to identify needs and opportunities throughout the facility Provides general education - training - and resources about SAMS to staff throughout the hospital - community living centers (CLC) - and community members who provide support to Veterans at end-of-life and to their family and NOK Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (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: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #:71871-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs