Assigned to Phoenix VA Health Care System Caring of Older Adults and Caregivers at Home (COACH) Program. Social Worker is responsible for providing Veterans and their caregivers participating in the COACH Program with high quality case management, consultation, clinical treatment, and advocacy. The COACH Social Worker will serve as support to the patient and family to mitigate the stresses of experiencing and caring for conditions associated with dementia and other geriatric syndromes. Basic Requirements: Citizenship : Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part) 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 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 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 to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Loss of Licensure or Certification : Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment English Language Proficiency : Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. 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, candidates must demonstrate all of the following 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 [Full Performance Level] 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 Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, in order to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. They independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Social workers serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. They provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 Vacancy is at full performance level. Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers, and files. In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, their families, representatives of the community. The incumbent must possess current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary ["Duties include, but are not limited to : The COACH program provides home-based dementia care services to veterans who are frail with neurocognitive disorders and may present frequent and serious behavioral symptoms and their primary caregivers who may experience significant stress and coping difficulties with their multiple caregiving challenges Their responsibilities are to provide ongoing psychoeducation and support to maximize quality of life issues, assist COACH Veterans to remain in their home for as long as possible, and to mitigate the stressors of experiencing and caring for conditions associated with neurocognitive disorders Is capable of practicing at an advanced professional level and has knowledge in the dementia care field Psychosocial services are provided in the Veteran's homes, clinic, community, via telephone and telehealth visits Must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, identify level of functioning, degree of impairment in occupational, social, academic, interpersonal and family, evaluate and assess lethality, perform mental status exams (MSE), identify psychiatric manifestations of various medical conditions Have working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures in working with diverse populations and circumstances-- including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, psychiatric, medical and social problems, common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology Must have a high level of skill and expertise to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and/or their caregivers Be able to independently work with Veterans and their caregivers experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, psychiatric, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial problems Independently complete thorough psychosocial assessments to determine the mental health diagnosis, psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and/or their caregivers Actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team through collaboration with Veterans and family, in the development and implementation of treatment goals and interventions Facilitate action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their caregivers as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner Serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their caregivers and VA and community resources in order to ensure thorough delivery of services Possess knowledge and ability to implement psychotherapeutic treatment modalities, provide educational classes, and/or treatment and supportive groups for Veterans and caregivers Provide consultation and education to Veterans and their caregivers regarding community resources, VA benefits and specialty programs, and advance directives Provide consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their caregivers and the impact of the identified psychosocial problems on the Veteran's health care planning and compliance with treatment. Ability to provide orientation coaching to new social workers and social work graduate students Ability to serve as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements Maintain knowledge of Veteran's benefits and services, community resources, and process for making appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies Possess skills and knowledge to provide case management services to Veterans and their caregivers throughout the continuum of care Acts as a liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed Travel where necessary, or as assigned in the capacity of community outreach support Maintains active government driving privileges, including possession of valid driver's license and current training, per policy Participates in a rotation of on-call social workers, including modification of tour of duty to accommodate service needs after hours or on the weekends Must possess and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, especially those programs used by VHA Performs other duties, as needed to meet the needs of the service, facility and/or the mission of the VA Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0730am - 1600pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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