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The Medical Social Worker provides social work, care coordination and discharge planning services to Veterans admitted to inpatient acute care wards at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the GS-11 Medical Social Worker works to ensure that Veterans transition efficiently from an inpatient level of care to the appropriate discharge level of care (e.g., outpatient with home health care, assisted living, extended care facility).
07/06/2022 to 07/26/2022
$55,226 - $86,859 per year
GS 9 - 11
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Not required
No
Permanent
Full-time
Excepted
11
No
No
CBSR-11557310-22-AEI
663574400
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU
Duties of the Social Worker are to include, but not limited to:
Screening/Assessment - In conjunction with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Medical Social Worker screens and assesses the Veteran's psychosocial needs and barriers in order to facilitate his or her discharge from the hospital Through collaborative relationships with the Veteran, his or her family/caregiver and other VA programs and VA staff, the Medicine Social Worker coordinates the gathering of information vital to the process of setting appropriate discharge goals and discharge time frames.
Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - From screening/assessment information, the Medical Social Worker determines realistic discharge goals that consider such factors as a) the appropriate level of discharge care, b) the setting conducive to providing such care, c) the need for post-discharge interventions to enhance caregiver support to allow for the least restrictive level of care, d) transportation options/barriers and e) the steps to obtaining resources (VA or community) that make the transition from the inpatient setting successful.
Advance Directive Screening and completion - The Medical Social Worker will screen Veterans while in the acute care setting to identify need to provide education and offer assistance with completing an advance directive.
Referral to service providers - To facilitate the continuity of a Veteran's recovery, the Medical Social Worker will arrange referrals to needed VA and/or community resources (e.g., home health care, assisted living facilities, extended care facilities/nursing homes, services available through area agencies on aging, community support groups, hospice care, community-based extended care). The Medical Social Worker will collaborate with other service providers in re-assessing the Veteran's needs during the eligibility determination process, coordinating access to information needed for the referral.
Resource Usage/Development - As a developing subject matter expert on the services and resources available to Veterans through both VA and the community, the Medical Social Worker will monitor patterns of resource availability, identifying unmet needs and the resultant impact on the Veteran's transition from the inpatient hospital setting.
Advocacy - The Medical Social Worker will advocate for the hospitalized Veteran to ensure that he or she has access to all needed care and resources within VA and in the community. By availing the Veteran of his or her choices in complex decisions and by guiding the Veteran through complicated enrollment procedures and bureaucratic processes, the Medical Social Worker facilitates the best possible outcome for the Veteran. When appropriate and feasible, the Medical Social Worker will educate and encourage the Veteran and his or her family/caregiver to advocate on his/her own behalf, fostering independence and empowerment.
Crisis Intervention - The Medical Social Worker will assess and intervene in any medical or psychiatric crises presented by the Veteran and participate in developing crisis management and safety plans to minimize the event of future crises. The Medical Social Worker will work collaboratively with other disciplines on complex cases (i.e. the Psychiatry Consultation Team).
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4pm, No Weekends/holidays
Compressed/Flexible:Not available
Telework: Available; after six months of fully satisfactory performance; within management agreement and policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
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, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/26/2022 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11557310.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/663574400. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.