Summary

The Caregiver Support Program Social Worker is assigned to the Caregiver Support Program with primary responsibilities to provide clinical evidence-based services and interventions; provide caregiver - Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues; engage in community outreach and resource development; continuous quality-improvement activities - and evaluation/consultation.

Qualifications

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 - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• *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
• Grandfather Provision
• A Social Worker employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (9/10/2019) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Grade Determinations:GS-9 Social Worker- 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
• GS-11 Social Worker - 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
• 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
• SSkill 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 - 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 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: 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 Social Worker 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
• Positions requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center - standing for extended periods of time - and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams
• Position may require travel into the community to meet with community agencies and partners who assist and support to the Caregiver Support Program - its Veterans and caregivers
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing - viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Major Duties May Include: Assists in the day-to-day operations of the Caregiver Support Program specific to his/her area of assignment and insures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives
• Participates in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions
• Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues
• Creates educational tools - develops programs and implements training focused on specific caregiver needs/issues
• Provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees - Veterans - families and caregivers
• Provides ongoing consultation and support to colleagues regarding caregiver support
• Develops and facilitates caregiver support groups (face-to-face or VANTS telephone line) and educational programs
• Distributes educational materials provided by VA - local - state and national caregiver organizations
• Conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress - psychiatric illness - emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues
• Responds to calls from the National Caregiver Support Hotlines - other phone calls and general inquiries regarding the Caregiver program - and assist with general tasks associated with the program Provides referrals to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits - community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs
• Serves as a consultant for navigating the complex processes caregivers - Veterans - and families encounter when interacting with government and community agencies
• Collaborate with the VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) - mental health - and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues
• Develop/maintain a library of caregiver support information materials for distribution through the various inpatient/outpatient and specialty clinic settings
• Serves as a liaison between the VA and community agencies
• Participates in caregiver support activities in the local community and state to promote and recognize the role of the caregiver
• Participates on state and local caregiver support committees
• Provides outreach presentations to community social service agencies - military Guard and Reserve units - Veteran Service organizations and other groups on VA caregiver benefits - programs and services
• Provides consultation - guidance and expertise to community organizations regarding Veteran caregiver specific issues and needs
• Promotes the VA Caregiver Support Program in coordination with the Caregiver Support Program Coordinator and the local VA Public Affairs Officer
• assists in coordinating events and programs for the annual National Family Caregivers Month in November - which includes announcements and advertising of month-long activities - mobilization of participants - educational sessions - caregiver recognition events and caregiver support programs
• collecting and analyzing local data for reports local management - the VISN Caregiver Support Coordinator Lead and the National Caregiver Support Program - Care Management and Social Work Service - Office of Patient Care Services
• Performs a wide range of services and may provide technical assistance to state - local - and private agencies - and universities
• Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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 #: 0000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized