Summary

The ED Senior Social Worker works independently using their educational training, clinical experience, VA policies, and Joint Commission standards to administer direct services to Veterans referred to or presenting for care in the Emergency Department. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans ensuring equity of access, service, and benefits to this population.

Qualifications

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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. §
• 7403(f)
• 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 tohttp://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of 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
• Current state requirements may be found by going tohttp://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• 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)
• Grandfathering Provision
• The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation.(1)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:(2)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.(3)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.(4)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.(5)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
• NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS- 0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
• GS-12 Experience/Education
• The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice
• Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty
• Licensure/Certification
• Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a)Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.(b)Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.(c)Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.(d)Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.(e)Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services
• Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• This professional Social Worker is responsible to provide a variety of services for Veterans referred from the Emergency Department including psychosocial assessments, comprehensive suicide risk assessments, suicide safety planning, short-term, solution focused counseling with individuals and families who may be in crisis, advanced directives, education and referral for resources and benefits, case management and post-intervention follow-up
• Duties may include but are not limited to: The ED Senior Social Worker may be the point of contact for Suicide Prevention in the Emergency Department (SPED)
• This includes assessing Veterans for the SPED program, follow-up with SPED Veterans post ED discharge, and assisting SPED Veterans with linkage to services
• The ED SR Social Worker may be responsible for monitoring the SPED dashboard for \"fallouts\" and investigating & remedy of fallouts
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans and ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population
• Collects, develops, and analyzes data using appropriate clinical indicators and monitoring activities to assure that the care provided is of the highest quality
• Provides consultation and education to VA staff and community-based service providers including medical residents and Social Work students
• Documents activities and interventions in Veteran's clinical record utilizing the electronic medical record and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of Veteran care
• Responsibilities will also include the collection and maintenance of statistical data, program planning evaluation and modification, and the supervision of students as assigned
• May work various days or hours that are outside of normal business hours, with limited or no on-site supervision
• Independently provides clinical psychosocial treatment and case management services at an advanced practice level to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs
• Veterans treated come from a wide geographic area
• Their health care and psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem solving
• Throughout the course of treatment, the Social Worker acts as the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources
• Educating the Veteran and/or caregiver of available services and assisting them in establishing appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of their surrogate decision-maker
• Serve as a liaison with community agencies, assist Veterans with referrals for services from community and government agencies, and help coordinate these services
• Understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate within the VA system when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family
• Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs
• Social Worker has access to multiple resource directories in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis
• Utilize different software programs to complete assessments, including the electronic medical record, Mental Health Assistant and other programs as needed
• May be consulted regarding allegations of abuse and neglect and will follow the protocol of the VA Medical Center
• Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements/benefits, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs
• Enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates and are to enter consults and make assessments based on their Advanced level of licensure
• Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday, Weekends possible Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: pending Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized