Duties

This position will be a float position providing Social Work Service to all areas of the hospital as needed to provide Veteran care. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Conducts psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and addresses family member concerns;
• Participates in the treatment planning process with other disciplines;
• Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner;
• Provides individual, family and group counseling as appropriate;
• Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits;
• Provides consultation/education to medical residents on Social Work practicesand VA policy and procedures;
• Acts as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed;
• Providew case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care;
• Provides a full range of Social Work services within commonly accepted standards of Social Work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate;
• Addresses Advance Directives and organ donation in accordance with the standards of their work area;
• Provides wellness/prevention education and facilitate Patient/family support groups as appropriate;
• Coordinates treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans;
• Participates in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager;
• Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission, VA and medical center policy anprocedures;
• Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death;
• Documents social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care;
• Assists in the case management and discharge planning of OIF/OEF Veterans and work with the OIF/OEF program manager on identifying these Veterans who are on the inpatient unit;
• Assists in the case management and discharge planning of those Veterans identified as high risk for suicide and work with the Suicide Prevention team on identifying these Veterans and arranging appropriate follow up;
• Works with the identified high-risk patient on establishing a safety plan and documenting this is the record;
• Conducts post discharge follow up phone calls for all Veterans discharged from the inpatient unit to their home as part of performance measure and report this data to the VISN; and
• Assumes other related responsibilities.

• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• Benefits

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

  Review our benefits

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Independent Social Worker Licensure
  • Resume
  • Transcript

  Résumé Reminder: Your résumé must include the following information each job listed:

  • Job title

  • Duties (be as detailed as possible)

  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)

  Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week). Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your résumé. Be sure that your résumé clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

  An incomplete application will receive a rating of IFFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software or fax transmissions.

  The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
  

  • Cover Letter
  • Independent Social Worker Licensure
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

  Veterans' Preference: Since the position is listed as a staffing shortage, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• How to Apply

  All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/22/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12368276.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

  • Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

  NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
  To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

  Agency contact information

  Jessenia Plaza

  Phone

  (781) 473-6094

  Fax

  (781) 687-3673

  Email

  Jessenia.Plaza@va.gov

  Address

  VA Bedford Healthcare System
  200 Springs Road
  Bedford, MA 01730
  US

  Next steps

  Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
  You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
  NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens