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VISN 12 is committed to fostering and sustaining an environment which celebrates diversity, provides equitable opportunities for employment and promotion, and supports inclusiveness in our culture. Together, we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that promote professional growth and teamwork, and are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We embrace our differences as individuals and unite as a team toward a common goal: to serve our nation's Veterans.

Social worker responsibilities are directed toward (a) helping patients and families cope with the crisis of illness; (b) maximizing social and interpersonal functioning of patients; (c) promoting vocational and social rehabilitation; (d) providing education to patients and interdisciplinary team members on the psychosocial impact of illness and disease progression; (e) facilitating the patient's return to the community at the highest level of functioning possible; (f) working with terminally ill patients and bereaved families; (g) developing special approaches to provide solutions to unique social problems; (h) coordinating discharge planning, including providing information and referral services and accessing and coordinating community resources/services; and (i) providing case management services. Clinical social workers conduct behavioral health/mental health assessments, make DSM-5 diagnoses, create behavioral health/mental health treatment plan, and offer psychotherapeutic services.
Duties include but are not limited to:

• The Incumbent meet with VA, community, and professional organizations and individuals as needed to carry out assigned development and implementation responsibilities. This includes but is not limited to representing the program by screening Veteran for participation in any aspects of the program.
• The incumbent participates in direct Veteran, family and Caregiver, contacts to identify and assess risk, safety, supports and to the develop and apply direct clinical treatment interventions and case management.
• Provides involved program education and in-service training to VAMC employees, Veterans, families and caregivers. Distributes educational materials for involved programs provided by VA, local, state and national organizations.
• The incumbent will participate in a rotation of on-call services if/as needed, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends. Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to patients. Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, inpatient days, patient demographics, equipment utilization and patient satisfaction. Develops implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services.
• The incumbent may supervise employees performing work at various GS levels and provides administrative, technical and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit/service including outreach efforts, CBOC involvement and efforts at other sites within the OGJVAMC Health Care System.
• Performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised. Incumbent establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. Incumbent is able to resolve informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. He/She provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests. Incumbent assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of the safety regulations.
• The incumbent is administratively responsible for the clinical programming and daily operations of the programs. Develops policies and procedures for program operation and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use.
• Other Duties Assigned

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.

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: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• Education: Must 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. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
  • NOTE: A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work.
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. (COPY OF LICENSURE REQUIRED)

• Experience/Education: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.
• Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • (a) Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility.
  • (b) Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive.
  • (c) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
  • (d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
  • (e) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; and selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action.
  • (f) Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
  • (g) Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.