Summary

The Inpatient Medical Social Worker provides social work - care coordination and discharge planning services to Veterans admitted to inpatient medical acute care wards at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Inpatient Medical Social Worker works to ensure that Veterans transition efficiently from an inpatient level of care to the appropriate discharge level of care.

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
• 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
• Indiana requires Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) 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
• GS-9 Social Worker must obtain independent practice licensure within three years of initial appointment
• 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-9:Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate - in their resume - all of the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (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
• 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
• 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 - the candidate must demonstrate - in their resume - all of the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (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
• Preferred Experience: Medical Social Work Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.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 9 to GS 11
• Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone - utilizing the electronic medical record - and working shared office space
• Work is intermittently performed sitting at a desk and using a computer
• However - the position requires periods of walking - standing - sitting and bending.

Duties

• Duties: Screening/Assessment - In conjunction with the interdisciplinary treatment team - the Inpatient Medical Social Worker screens and assesses the Veteran's psychosocial needs and barriers in order to facilitate their discharge from the hospital Through collaborative relationships with the Veteran - their family/caregiver and other VA programs and VA staff - the Inpatient 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 Inpatient 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 Inpatient 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 Inpatient 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 Inpatient 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 Inpatient 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
• The Inpatient Medical Social Worker will communicate with appropriate stakeholders (e.g. - the Social Work Chief/Executive - the Social Work Professional Practice Council - other VA programs - community partners) to encourage the development of new and innovative resources to meet the ever-changing needs of those we serve
• Advocacy - The Inpatient 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 their choices in complex decisions and by guiding the Veteran through complicated enrollment procedures and bureaucratic processes - the Inpatient Medical Social Worker facilitates the best possible outcome for the Veteran
• Crisis Intervention - The Inpatient 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 Inpatient Medical Social Worker will work collaboratively with other disciplines on complex cases (i.e
• the Psychiatry Consultation Team)
• Work Schedule: Monday- Friday - 7:30 am - 4:00pm 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 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: This is not a telework position Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 91715-A and 91714-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized