Summary

The incumbent serves as one of the Advance Care Planning via Group Visits (ACP-GV) Point of Contact (POC). The POC is responsible to work with the ACP-GV Program Coordinator in managing contact with the National Implementation Team with regard to the implementation of ACP-GV at the medical center health care system. They may assist in developing policies & procedures for program operation & collaborate with the Coordinator to prepare reports & statistics for facility - VISN - & national use.

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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken & written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 SW Licensure Summary by State
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• 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
• 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
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• 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
• Social Worker - GS-11 Experience and Licensure: 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• OR Education: 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the 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
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
• 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 - 8 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 https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 9 to 11
• Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies
• The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands - exercise patience - and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• Position requires walking throughout medical center and clinics - standing and/or sitting for extended periods of time - involves sitting at a computer and in counsel/consultation with Veterans - families and caregivers
• The incumbent is required to have a valid driver's license - and must meet VA requirements to drive a government vehicle
• Travel within ECHCS catchment area may be required
• Ability to complete a Basic Life Support course is a position requirement.

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 Duties & skills needed to be successful in this position include - but are not limited to: Supports the coordinator in development & implementation of the ACP-GV Program within identified areas of the medical center health care system sites & ensures compliance & collaboration with national ACP-GV Implementation Team & the National Social Work Program Office
• Assists with recruitment & training for ACP-GV facilitators - tracks groups & progress
• Ensures screening for high quality facilitators
• Provides facility education & Veteran recruitment for ACP-GV
• Provides training as requested & works collaboratively with the Coordinator to ensure the maintenance of patient data & input into national data tracking systems in accordance with national program guidelines
• Utilizes all documents & handouts required by the national Implementation Team
• Ensure self & all other facilitators conduct groups per national protocol
• Will use the fidelity instrument as method of validation
• Serves as one of the subject matter experts for ACP - understanding documentation for state & VA process
• Supports the facility champion for advancing conversations on advanced care planning
• Briefs Supervisor regarding items that the Service - Facility - & VISN leadership will need to be informed of regarding implementation & sustainment of ACP-GV
• Collaborates with various services & programs within facility to promote use of ACP-GV within said areas
• Provides outreach & educational presentations to facility Leadership - Services - Programs
• Facilitates ACP-GV regularly & demonstrates an understanding of group facilitation - development - & recruitment
• When appropriate - utilizes tele-health for groups
• Offers consultation to colleagues & students on ACP-GV rendering professional opinions based on experience & expertise & role modeling effective social work practice skills
• Able to meet the needs of customers while supporting VA missions
• Consistently communicates & treats customers (veterans - their representatives - visitors - & all VA staff) in a courteous - tactful - & respectful manner
• Incumbent is able to provide the customer with consistent information according to established policies & procedures
• Handles conflict & problems in dealing with the consumer constructively & appropriately
• Has working knowledge & skill in the use of word-processing - data management & other computer systems - especially those programs in use by VHA
• Assists the Coordinator in monitoring tracking data specific to the ACP-GV Program
• Facilitates in person & tele ACP-GV offerings & provides training & shadowing opportunities for facilitators
• Supports the coordinator in Veteran recruitment efforts - with a focus on rural Veterans
• Performs a wide range of services & provides technical assistance to State - local - & private agencies - & universities
• Provides technical assistance based on monitoring activities & program reviews - & the development & analysis of information
• In addition - the incumbent uses sound judgment in the interpretation of trends & patterns
• the application of guidelines
• & the recommendation of program enhancements
• The incumbent performs program analysis - development - review - research - design - & contact work as possible with various agencies (public - DOD - state - etc.)
• Leads key project activities related to the planning - development - & implementation of the project component
• Communicates effectively both orally & in writing with people from varied backgrounds
• Facilitates above discussed functions through virtual modalities to support both Advance Care Planning national program goals as well service to Veterans within ECHCS who live in both metro & rural geographies
• The incumbent may be requested to provide
• supervision of social workers for advanced practice licensure or the graduate trainee program - act as a mentor/provide orientation for less experienced social workers - participate or chair committees or groups that impact social work practice and/or lead roll out of evidence based practices
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary & 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) Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 554-56452-O - 554-56453-O Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized