The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Social Work to function within Care Coordination (CC) and Integrated Case Management (ICM). The incumbent in this position will implement, coordinate, and manage all clinical aspects of the national CC& ICM framework which serves a patient population with highly complex and mental health problems to ensure they receive the appropriate level of care coordination support based on their prominent need.
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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). 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 3 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). Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Grade Determinations:GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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: 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. 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39. 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-09 to GS-11.
The Social Worker duties include, but are not limited to: Identifies cohort of Veterans across the healthcare system with the highest opportunity and highest need. Identifies potential areas where care coordination is taking place to include but not limited to primary care, surgical care, mental health, community care, specialty clinics, geriatrics, and chronic disease. Identifies care coordinators and support services across the specialized services of VANEOHS and ensure continued participation by setting expectations, clear roles, and responsibilities. Co-facilitates a care coordination review team (CCRT) to integrate communication, collaboration, and coordination when assigning a Lead Coordinator to Veterans identified as needing moderate or complex care coordination services. Ensures compliance with policies and standard operating procedures for evaluating and mitigating suicide risk to include: Completion of the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scare (C-SSRS), Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation, Safety Plan, and Overdose Report as clinically indicated. Conducts psychosocial assessments to determine the needs of veterans and family members. Participants in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. The incumbent will participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. 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. Develops, maintains effective working relationships with key medical center staff and community agencies to enhance the scope and functioning of the geriatric program and to develop needed community support to ensure the program goals are achieved. Assists Veterans, their families, and caregivers in the process of application for Medicaid benefits and the communication and education about Medicaid benefits with Veterans, their families, and caregivers to facilitate discharge from the medical center. Work Schedule: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 944310 (GS-9) and 944320 (GS-11) Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized