Social Worker Caregiver Support

We're Looking for a skilled Social Worker Caregiver Support in the Veterans Health Administration based in Big Spring, Texas. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Noncitizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Have a masters 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 masters 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. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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 GS9 grade level. For the GS11 grade level and above the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment the supervisor chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. Physical Requirements. Please see Physical Requirements listed below. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. sect 7403(f). Preferred Experience: Experience in case management resources community referrals and discharge planning Knowledge in collaborating with internal and external services to facilitate care transition. Ability to engage advocate collaborate practice and coordinate with other services and disciplines within the VHA or in the community to assist Veterans/Caregiver to close the gap of services. Experiences as a community liaison with skills and knowledge regarding outreach and program development Knowledge in conducting in home assessments with focus on education of selfcare selfmanagement developed by patient identified goals. Ability to adapt to high volume work load and change in daily plans while remaining professional courteous and a team player experience in teaching/mentoring a variety of sensitive topics based on a provided curriculum or materials in a group or individual setting to caregivers/Veterans. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met.GS9 Social Worker.Experience Education and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.(b) 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.(c) 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.(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients staff and representatives of community agencies.(e) 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.GS11 Social Worker. Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of postMSW experience equivalent to the GS9 grade level in the field of health care or other social workrelated settings (VA or nonVA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OREducation. 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:(a) Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services.(b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds.(c) 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.(d) 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.(e) 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. Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine surgery mental health neurology rehabilitation medicine and geriatrics. Employees provide professional independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse neglect exploitation and/or intimate partner violence use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies handbooks or directives and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veterans strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard dated September 10 2019.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS9 to GS11. Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting/Carrying (1544 pounds) Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Walking/Standing (up to 4 hours) Repeated bending (15 mins) Climbing (half hour) Operation of crane truck tractor or motor vehicle Near vision correctable at 13 to 16 to Jaeger 1 to 4 Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other Hearing (aid permitted) Mental and Emotional Stability.

What’s on Offer

The role offers excellent opportunities for top performers to further develop their competencies as a social worker and improving the lives of people.