Duties

Summary

Incumbent provides social work coverage to multiple programs at the Richmond VA Medical Center. Services are provided on inpatient acute medical, surgical, and critical care units. The incumbent will be responsible for directing services for the Ambulatory Care Sensitive Cases on the inpatient acute medicine units. These cases focus on chronic disease conditions with the goal of reducing their readmission rate (i.e. CHF Initiative, COPD, Diabetes, etc.)
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Responsibilities

Incumbent serves as a coordinator of social services for those Veteran's with extended length of stays and those identified as complex cases having complex disposition issues. They manage the daily operation of the program, direct patient care services in the program area, develop policies and procedures for program operation and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use.

The incumbent manages and controls the use of data related to these programs regarding day to day functioning and program evaluation, including coordination with the Utilization Management Program and the facility ACOS for improvement and innovation.
Coordination of Care - Incumbent interfaces with inpatient, interdisciplinary medical/surgical teams, Utilization Management staff, and the facility ACOS for improvement and innovation regarding coordination of social services for complex cases. The incumbent informs management of potentially controversial issues or problems with widespread impact and generally resolves both clinical and administrative conflicts as they arise. The incumbent will assist with coordinating the care of complex veterans and those with extended length of stays.

The incumbent is also responsible for ensuring coverage of social work services on the medical floors at Richmond VAMC when social work staff are absent for planned or unplanned leave. Incumbent may monitor the work of the other social workers in the Medicine/Surgery areas. In collaboration with the Supervisory Social Worker, may provide orientation, guidance and feedback related to job performance. In the absence of the Supervisory Social Worker, incumbent may take the lead in assigning work, providing consultation and problem solving with other Services within the Health Care System.

The incumbent has program development and effectiveness administrative responsibilities toward improve and refining service delivery systems. The Senior Social Worker provides consultation and guidance to colleagues, role models effective social work practice skills, develop innovations in practice interventions, and provide clinical supervision for social work licensure or certification.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States 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 Licensure: must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)

Grade Determination
GS-12: Must have at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, in which the experience demonstrates a possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's:

(a) Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
(b) Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
(c) Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services.
(d) Ability to provide staff training and development.
(e) Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers

Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At the GS-12 grade level, supervisory social workers typically have significant personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate sized professional and non-professional staff,
including support staff and professional staff at the GS-12 grade level and below. The supervisory social worker is responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service, in a care/product line, or multiple facilities. They provide direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities.

Licensure/Certification: Must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39

Education

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 .

Additional information

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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.

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

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.

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.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

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, résumé, 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.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• 10-2850c form
• Current ACTIVE State Social Worker Licensure
• Resume

VA Form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations can be found at: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-2850c-fill.pdf .
(required at time of application)

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• 10-2850c form
• Current ACTIVE State Social Worker Licensure
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference .

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.