Senior Social Worker

Summary

The VA Liaison is seen as the Veterans Health administration (VHA) representative to the military installation and must represent the VA in all aspects of patient care, transfer, and outreach. The primary role of the VA Liaison is to ensure the transfer of health care, both inpatient and outpatient, from the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) to the appropriate Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Develop relationships and collaborate with the MTF social workers, nurses, case managers, managed care staff, and discharge planners to identify patients ready for discharge to VHA, and to obtain clear referral information and authorization for VHA to treat those still on active duty. Meet with Service Members and/or family to provide education and an overview of VHA health benefits and resources to address current medical and psychosocial issues identified as part of the Service Member's treatment plan. In collaboration with the MTF treatment team, the Liaison must use advanced clinical skills to assess the patient and/or family's psychosocial situation, their ability to comprehend and comply with VA treatment plan that has been determined by the MTF staff and any special needs of the patient and/or family that may impact reaching optimal psychosocial functioning. The incumbent will conduct brief psychotherapy if clinically appropriate. Collaborate with MTF social workers, nurses and case managers in identifying the VHA facility where care will be transferred and an accepting physician at that facility. To ensure ease of registration or enrollment procedures, information must be transmitted using PDX or Network Health Exchange (NHE) from the Liaisons facility to the identified receiving VHA facility. Document all Liaison activities in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) in the nationally standardized template entitled Seamless Transition VA/DOD Liaison Note and in the MTF2VA tracking system or its equivalent. Prepare reports, briefs, and/or presentations for VA staff at all levels, DoD staff, Congressional staff, community organizations, etc. regarding the Seamless Transition process and specific mechanics of their program. Manage the day-to-day operations of the Liaison initiative and provides accountability to program effectiveness and modifications of service patterns to enhance customer service. Identifies gaps in the transition system and collaborates with MTF and DoD Staff and other departments to enhance the seamless transition process. Assist in educating Service Members and Veterans about the Whole Health System of Care in order for them to early on be aware of holistic and patient centered care that is offered at VHA. Responsible for the developing and implementation of a comprehensive outreach approach and community based education program for active duty, reserve, and national guard military members to inform them of readjustment, medical, mental health, and community services available for returning combat Veterans and non-combat Veterans. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 08:00am-04:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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…

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: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) 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). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Senior Social Worker Experience/Education: Senior Social Workers must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Licensure: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role m…

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.