Summary

The Clinical Social Worker and Community Facility Discharge Planner provides services to veterans served at community medical centers and mental health facilities affiliated with the Memphis VA Medical Center. Responsibilities include delivering comprehensive case management - clinical treatment - advocacy - and coordinating connections to appropriate VA or community service providers and agencies based on the individual needs of each client.

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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
• (Transcripts must be provided) 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/
• (Copy of License must be provided) English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• 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: 1
• Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• 2
• 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
• 3
• 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
• 4
• 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
• 5
• 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/
• Physical Requirements: The work requires extreme patience and controlling of emotions
• The work may also require assisting physically disabled veterans
• Day-to-day work involves sitting - walking - standing and carrying light objects - such as medical records and substantial computer entry
• Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable diseases common of the client population
• The Incumbent may be required to work an irregular tour of duly and/or weekends as needed to accommodate the schedules of patients and families
• Frequent keyboarding to operate a computer.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Community Facility Discharge Planner provides high quality case management - clinical treatment - advocacy - and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers and/or agencies as needed by the client
• primary responsibility is to provide social work/discharge planning services to veterans in community medical and mental health facilities at the expense of Memphis VA Medical Center
• Duties include but not limited to: Interviewing veterans and/or their family members
• evaluating the overall physical - mental and emotional status of the veteran
• reviewing documentation
• collaborating with community facility staff - and actively assisting with discharge planning
• Uses professional skill - objectivity - advanced clinical training - insight - and experience to interpret data and to identify viable discharge options
• Provides case management services - in collaboration with community medical and mental health staff - to veterans both in the community facility and discharging from the facility
• Assists community medical and mental health staff in coordinating and/or obtaining any needed medical care and discharge services
• Activities require sound working relationships with VA physicians and other staff as well as community agencies and resources
• Assume responsibility for coordination of care with home health agencies - VA clinics - non-VA medical facilities - board and care home operators - physicians - clergymen - and representatives of other disciplines who are concerned with the same clients or group of clients
• Serve veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises - lack family or an adequate community support network - be poor at self-monitoring - frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment - or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support
• Provide training experiences for graduate social work trainees as well as other allied health care trainees
• makes community visits needed to effectively perform his/her responsibilities
• may participate in research and pilot studies
• and will maintain an active participation in the Social Work Service
• Interviews veterans and significant others to establish facts about the situation - its nature - cause - components - and impact
• Complete social work assessment as a basis for the formulation of a biopsychosocial assessment and treatment goals
• Significant others may be involved in this process
• Develops appropriate treatment plan
• Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the client's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance - makes initial and continuing decisions regarding the agency's services and referral
• Provides clinical services to clients - authorizes benefits - gives guidance - emotional support and other assistance
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4;30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized