Summary

The Caregiver Support Program Social Worker has knowledge regarding caregiver issues - needs of family caregivers and the complexities faced by family caregivers of Veterans. The selected Social Worker will need to have knowledge and understanding of the services and benefits available for caregivers from both Federal - State - and the private sector resources.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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: Must 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
• Licensure: 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/
• (NOTE: For those who have a Florida LCSW license - you must be registered with the state as a "Qualified Supervisor" in order to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certification
• All others must meet the requirements of their state of licensure to be able to provide supervision for licensure.) Applicants with Puerto Rico LSW must be an active member of the College of Social Work Professionals of Puerto Rico (CPTSPR) and must provide CPTSPR active membership certification
• For additional information - please visit Membership - CPTSPR
• English Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Driver's License: A current - valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position
• NOTE: We cannot accept photographs - therefore
• please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package
• 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)
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401 (3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Those candidates with the following experience are highly preferred
• Experience providing Medical and Mental Health case management services in a home setting
• Experience working with caregivers
• Experience completing assessments - treatment planning - and care coordination
• Reference: VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39
• For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The position requires performance of work which involves light physical effort - such as that involved in lifting light files - bending - standing - reaching - operating office equipment such as telephone - copier - fax machine - scanner - etc
• The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers
• moderate walking and standing
• near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• hearing aid permitted
• clear speech
• emotional stability
• moderate duty
• In addition - must meet occupational health requirements for driving physical to include approval to transport Veterans in a government vehicle.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Some of the duties of the position include - but are not limited to
• Implements the Caregiver Support program specific to his/her area of assignment and insures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives
• Implements information systems to track service activities including visits - referrals - caregiver demographics - equipment utilization and caregiver and Veteran satisfaction
• Participates in direct caregiver and Veteran contacts to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions
• Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues
• Develops and facilitates caregiver support groups (face-to-face or VA Video Connect) and educational programs
• Conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress - psychiatric illness - emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues
• Provides referral to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits - as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs
• Provides referrals and completes applications as needed for Veteran/Caregiver to benefit from caregiver support programs including Hero Miles - Building Better Caregivers - etc
• Provides referrals or consults - or in some cases direct admission of a Veteran to other VA programs including but not limited to the Medical Foster Home Program - Respite Program - Community Health Care Coordination Program - Hospice - Home Based Primary Care - Telehealth and Community Nursing Home Program
• As a field instructor or preceptor - supervises Social Work graduate students and provides a training experience for them in Social Work
• Consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes caregivers - Veterans and families encounter when interacting with government and community agencies
• Collaborate with the patient aligned care team - mental health and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues
• Develop a library of caregiver support information material for distribution through the various inpatient/outpatient and specialty clinic settings
• Participates in caregiver support activities in the local community and state to promote and recognize the role of the caregiver
• Will establish a caregiver support protocol (resources - education and training) sensitive to the issues of the caregivers who are providing care to our youngest returning Veterans
• Performs home visits in the community to ensure that veterans reside in safe environments
• Conducts community-based visits - made with safety in mind - and follow the Home Visit Safety policy
• Independently directs and coordinates clinical and psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the services provided
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm
• However - the selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis - based on the needs of the service and patient care
• 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) 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 #: Social Worker - Caregiver Support - 82345F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.