Caseworker Home Care

Summary The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Social Worker provides clinical psychosocial services to eligible Veterans assigned to Primary Care Patient Aligned Care Teams. As a member of interdisciplinary treatment team, the Social Worker maintains knowledge of the PACT team approach and the role of each health and allied health care team member. Responsibilities VA Careers - Social Work: Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The Social Worker will work with Same Day Surgery teams and Specialty Clinics that serve Veterans receiving Interfacility Outpatient Services by consult from another VA Health Care System. Referrals typically originate from any member of the interdisciplinary team, from Veterans and/or their families who call or walk-in for assistance, and from community professionals. Patients' health care and psychosocial problems and needs are often complex and include a wide range (medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial.) The Social Worker possesses advance skills in collaborating with Veterans, their family/caregivers, and interdisciplinary teams to create patient-centered treatment goals or plans. The Social Worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, to maximize the Veterans independence, health, and wellbeing. This includes but is not limited to, providing interventions to increase access to care, (transportation assistance & advanced directives) , economic assistance, (assistance with medical bills, financial aid services), strategies to increase income and/or reduce expenses (employment, vocational rehabilitation, VA benefits, disability benefits, Medicaid linkage), find appropriate housing for the patient's level of need (affordable independent housing, homeless shelters, group and family care homes, Veterans Homes, assisted living, nursing homes, respite care, hospice care), provide support for caregiver burn out (linkage to resources) and serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. Functions or scope of assigned duties include but are not limited to: Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. and medical terminology. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing clinical skills. Under supervision, implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Facilitate 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. Community placements can involve but are not limited to referrals to group and family care homes, assisted living facilities, adult day health care programs, contract nursing homes, Community Living Centers, residential care homes, inpatient and outpatient hospice services. Serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services. Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their families on role of social work and resources available. Maintains knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies. Possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. Possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. Able to effectively serve on relevant committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and Chief of Social Work Services. Establish and maintain ongoing relationships with community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00 a.m.- Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 1369FA Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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.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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. There is exposure to individuals having psychiatric and medical illness and disabilities, including infections, violent or aggressive behavior, and chronic psychiatric or physical problems. Travel may be required to meeting patient needs, and may occasionally demand unplanned, irregular tours of duty. Experience with medical social work and case mgmt. Knowledge of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) and/or home care model preferred. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.