Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

SummaryThe Inpatient Medicine Social Worker/Dementia Care Coordinator provides comprehensive services to veterans and their families receiving inpatient medical care and specialized assessment - interdisciplinary treatment planning and intervention to acute medical/surgical inpatients with dementia-related behavioral disturbances impacting their acute inpatient plan of care. This position also serves as a consultant to the Emergency Department regarding urgent dementia-related needs/resources.QualificationsBasic Requirements:United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA PolicyEducation: 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 accreditedA doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social workVerification 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 masters of social workLicensure: 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 levelCurrent state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/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)Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title38 hybrid qualification standardsPlease carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupationAll 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 occupationFor 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 positionsEmployees 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 standardEmployees 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 occupationIf 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 occupationGrade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator) - GS-12 Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade levelExperience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment - demonstrating progressively more professional competencyCandidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship - or equivalent supervised professional experienceLicensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensureDemonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and AbilitiesIn addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation - negotiation - and monitoringKnowledge and ability to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines for the programAbility to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the programSkill in organizing work - setting priorities - meeting multiple deadlines - and evaluating assigned program area(s)Ability to provide training - orientation - and guidance within clinical practicePreferred Experience: Minimum of 2 years of acute inpatient medical and/or surgical social work experienceMinimum of 2 years working with patients with cognitive impairment and with their caregiversReference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.DutiesTotal Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties to include but not limited to: Inpatient Medicine Social Worker Provides clinical psychosocial and care coordination services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team to meet biological - psychological - social - and environmental needs and to ensure good patient flowParticipates in daily interdisciplinary rounds and independently and effectively performs an array of social work interventions including high-risk screening - psychosocial assessments - discharge planning to a range of settings - adjustment to illness counseling - end of life counseling - advance directives - resource education and referral - and coordination of care within a fast-paced environmentUses knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities - provide counseling for individuals - families - and groupsCoordinates inter-disciplinary family meetings for medical updates - goals of care - and treatment planning dialoguesProvide crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaintCompletes clinical reminders and screening tools as needed based upon individual need and/or the clinical reminder schedule and in support of organizational missionPerforms suicide risk screening and secondary suicide risk assessments and completes suicide safety plansAssist clients with appropriate linkages to mental health assessment and treatment resourcesInpatient Medicine Dementia Care Coordinator Collaborates across disciplines to improve outcomes for inpatient Veterans with dementia in acute medical/surgical units through behavioral planning and psychosocial interventionsCoordinates and leads weekly rounding with psychiatry on identified medical/surgical patients - completes individual assessment of identified patients with dementia across any inpatient medical/surgical team and contributes to the development of a personalized behavioral planAddresses urgent consultations for Dementia Care Coordination and related caregiver support in the Emergency Department to support linkage to appropriate outpatient supports/resources and reduce avoidable admissionsServes as a subject matter expert with regards to treatment planning and VA/community resources related to management of the complex needs associated with caring for Veterans with dementia - providing consultation and supportActively engages in continuing education efforts and support the education of trainees from a range of disciplines - including acting as a field instructor for MSW studentsCollaborates across disciplines to develop/revise agency policies - negotiate changes in procedures and practice guidelines that impact the delivery of services and available resources for Veterans with dementia and their caregivers and monitor for the efficacy of specialized treatment plansParticipates and leads specialty-specific work groups - task groups and root cause analyses related to dementia careBuilds specialized knowledge of resources and interventions to meet the unique needs of this special populationUtilizes specialized interventions and treatment modalitiesMaintains a robust network of resources able to meet the needs of veterans with various stages and types of dementiaWork Schedule: 8-4:30pm - Monday-Friday 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 increasesWhen 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 experienceParental 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 childChild 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 $416.66Retirement: 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: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: 260100F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized