Caseworker Foster Care

Summary This position functions as the social work supervisor and program manager for extended and specialty care services. They will service as the clinical and administrative supervisor of staff including but not limited to Contract Nursing Home/Adult Day Health Program - Spinal Cord Injury/Disease Primary Aligned Care Team social worker - Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator - social workers within the Community Living Center and Medical Foster Home Program.
Summary This position functions as the social work supervisor and program manager for extended and specialty care services. They will service as the clinical and administrative supervisor of staff including but not limited to Contract Nursing Home/Adult Day Health Program - Spinal Cord Injury/Disease Primary Aligned Care Team social worker - Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator - social workers within the Community Living Center and Medical Foster Home Program.
Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
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
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
English Language Proficiency
Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.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
Individuals assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure
Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments and quality improvement
Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services
Ability to provide staff training and development
Preferred Experience: At least two years of post licensure clinical experience - often in a specialized social work area such as mental health - homelessness - or medical foster home programs
Demonstrated experience in evidence-based interventions across individual - family - and group counseling - including crisis management -suicide prevention - case management and supportive treatment
Skilled in developing - implementing - and evaluating policies and procedures - conducting quality assurance -managing contracts - and supervising data collection and performance measures
Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices - training rooms - and libraries
The incumbent must also work outdoors in all types of weather
There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites
walking - standing - climbing ladders - stooping - kneeling - and carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases - or driving or traveling by motor vehicle
walking - speaking - writing clinical notes - writing and reading policies and procedures - using office equipment such as computers - telephones - fax machines - copy machines and cell phones
Occasional travel is required of the incumbent
Travel will be for a variety of reasons - including but not limited to: national and regional conferences - site visits to other facilities in the VISN (or the VISN offices) - face-to-face meetings regarding national and regional projects/assignments - specialized training for certain medical equipment and/or systems - other training opportunities that may improve the incumbents ability to better serve the needs of the VA
A significant number of the services provided within the extended care program are required to occur in the community and requires providing services where the Veterans reside.It is possible that the incumbent could find themselves traveling to assess Veterans and/or their caregivers as much as 50% of a week or as little as 10% of the week depending on the programs' needs at any given time
This can occasionally include overnight stays
This travel takes place within the NAVAHCS catchment area which includes La Paz - Navajo - Maricopa - Coconino - Mohave - Apache and Yavapai counties including the areas of Hopi and Navajo reservations
Reviews requests for authorization of veterans to determine whether they meet eligibility criteria for inclusion in the CADHC program in the capacity as Coordinator for the Contract Adult Day Health Care Program
The incumbent is responsible for the development - evaluation - and communication of standards - policies and procedures to health care system social workers who serve as primary referral sources for the program
Provides liaison with the participating CADHC providers and may serve as the COR for these vendors if they have a contract
Provides program oversight to ensure quality care is provided by contracted agencies
Participates in professional and community organizations to further effective working relationships and to promote networking with community resources regarding long term and specialty care
Performs work related to the review - monitoring - analysis - planning and assessment of various programs
Responsible for key project activities related to the planning - development - and implementation of the project component
A substantial portion of the workload directed by this position is carried out at one or more locations that are physically removed from Medical Center under conditions that make day-to-day supervision difficult to administer
Identifies inadequacies in community services for Veterans and their families and cooperates/coordinates with community organizations to develop or improved needed resources
Priorities and work situations change frequently - often during the course of a single workday
Keeps the Chief of Social Work - or designee - apprised of community needs and services related to patient care
Serves as a mentor to other social workers - particularly those at the entry level - and provide clinical supervision for unlicensed social workers - and supervise and provide training for social work graduate students
Have an in-depth knowledge of social work programs and practices - including Veterans Affairs mandates - Joint Commission policies and procedures as well as Long Term Care Institute policies and procedures
Demonstrates initiative - resourcefulness and flexibility within the Social Work service line - providing leadership - guidance - oversight and mentoring in the development and delivery of social work services in general - and more specifically - in the area of geriatrics and extended care programs and specialty programs
Demonstrates knowledge of clinical oversight and supervision and the ability to provide the necessary supervision - when delegated - and collaboration with other disciplines for the most effective organizational performance
Responsible for the overall management - development - ongoing direction - leadership and accountability for the implementation and effectiveness of the social work programs within Geriatrics and Extended Care and specialty programs and fiscal components of the contract community programs
Maintains an ongoing evaluation of those program segments - advise - and apply appropriate management and oversight methods for control of quality and quantity of service to improve their effectiveness and efficiency
Have experience and skill in program administration - organizational management - general supervision/mentoring and community development experience and quality improvement programming
Integrate research and program development as related to community care programs
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 8:00am to 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.

#Department of Veterans Affairs