Social Worker

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) is currently seeking a social worker to join the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). Responsibilities include assessing and documenting signs of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or intimate partner violence; maintaining Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies; and advocating with VA and community agencies to protect the best interests of Veterans and their families/caregivers.

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. Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work.
• Licensure. Must have license or certification 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.

Grade Determinations:

GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above. Candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
5. 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 Experience/Education: Candidates must possess at least 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; or a Doctoral degree. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate the following KSA's:

1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard

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: Work is sedentary but also demands driving, standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.

Responsibilities:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

• Provides comprehensive services to Veterans and their families, aligned with social work standards, care principles, and case management practices. - Conducts biopsychosocial assessments, health screenings, Advance Directives, Goals of Care, crisis and risk assessments, safety planning, abuse reporting, psychoeducation, resource referrals, and care coordination within SAVAHCS and community partners.
• Performs discharge planning and other relevant services.
• Collaborates with an interdisciplinary team as a PACT team member to coordinate services addressing homelessness, hospice, palliative care, nursing home, in-home health, VA benefits, IPV, and transportation.
• Develops strong, effective relationships with Veterans, caregivers, agencies, and organizations, providing referrals to VA and community resources including direct admissions to VA programs such as Community Residential Care, Respite, Telehealth, and Community Nursing Homes.
• Guides caregivers and families through complex systems and stays current on relevant legislation, serving as a liaison between VA and external agencies.
• Educates Veterans and families on health conditions, community resources, benefits, advance directives, substance use treatment, guardianship, insurance, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and co-pays.
• Manages complex cases by incorporating psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within scope of practice.
• Assesses and documents at-risk Veterans, including crisis interventions for suicidality, homicidality, and safety concerns, developing safety plans as needed.
• Formulates and implements personalized treatment plans with measurable goals, leveraging Veterans' strengths and needs.
• Complies with all federal, state, and local policies and regulations.
• Participates in a High Reliability Organization culture by engaging in process improvement, reporting deficiencies, and addressing program issues.
• Commits to ongoing professional development by attending HPPAC meetings, program trainings, and staff activities, contributing to continuous quality improvement.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $417