Summary The Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) is a Complexity level 1a facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in outpatient, inpatient residential and community settings. ECHCS is a multi-site health care system that include a major medical facility in Aurora, Colorado; outpatient and residential facilities in Colorado; and 10 Community Based Outpatient Clinics. ECHCS is an academic health care system with significant teams and research programs. Responsibilities Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to: The Inpatient Med/Surg Social Worker assigned to inpatient medicine/surgery will provide medical, social work interventionservices to Veterans, family members and caregivers. Provides medical and behavioral social work services for Veterans admitted inpatient. Services often involve care coordination and consultation with medical, nursing, and social work staff in other care areas to which Veterans are referred, consulted, and/or also treated and/or also co-managed. The incumbent works closely with members of associated inpatient and outpatient interdisciplinary treatment teams. The incumbent assesses and provides appropriate social work care treatment options, interventions, discharge, and placement options. The incumbent providers assessment, evaluation, treatment, and reporting for cases of suspected or reported abuse, neglect or financial exploitation which present or are identified. The incumbent conductus psychosocial screens and/or assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, the Veteran, family members and significant others. The incumbent completes behavioral health clinical reminders for patients. The incumbent conducts clinical reminders during clinic visits and, as needed, by telephone. The incumbent promotes patient, family, and team interactions and problem solving by actively participating in interdisciplinary meetings to facilitate collaboration and the achievement of identified goals; acts as a consultant to other members of the interdisciplinary team in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care; collaborates to develop and implement programs (e.g. high risk registry) to improve the care of patients with complex physical and behavioral problems. The incumbent screens patients for alternate level of care options and provides education to patients, caregivers, and staff on those options for care. The incumbent facilitates discharge planning for patients, ensures that all patients that are not assigned to a PACT are provided education as to that process. The incumbent collaborates with social work, Rehab and Long-Term Care, Primary Care, and nursing service to facilitate acute rehabilitation admission, transfer to a skilled nursing facility, initiation or resumption of skilled or nonskilled homemaker/home health services, respite, and/or referral to other VA and/or community programs. The incumbent reviews options and services with patients and families, including costs, alternatives, risks, and benefits. The incumbent will educate the Veteran, family, and the team of all the available options and will collaborate with the Veteran and family on preferred options. The incumbent works closely with Veterans to identify and support their preferences in the care and personal treatment goals, and offers resources and support tailored to the uniquely expressed needs and desires of the Veteran, The incumbent serves as the key link for education and psychosocial support. The incumbent coordinates appropriate after-care and needed follow-up services following a Veteran's treatment, The incumbent coordinates with interdisciplinary team members the Veteran and caregivers to proactively address discharge and after-care needs, to include, but not limited to home care services supplies, equipment, medications, and related patient care needs and services. The incumbent provides health and psychosocial education services to the Veteran, family, and/or caregivers. Education services include, but are not limited to disease education, health promotion and sell-care interventions, VA and community resources, benefits and entitlements and Advance Health Care planning (Advance Directive, Living Wills, Power of Attorney for Health Care and related documents such as financial power of attorney). Other duties as assigned to meet the needs that are related to specialty area (emergency department), program goals, social work service initiatives and for service of the medical center. Work Schedule: M-F 0730-1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 554-53518-A, 554-53519-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. 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 SW Licensure Summary by State. 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 GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 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. 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. 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-09 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-09 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. 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. 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. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 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. 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. NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR GS-11 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. GS-11 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. Preferred Experience: Experience with inpatient case management References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120, PART II, APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Title 38 or Hybrid Title 38 Occupation official qualification standards of the position as stated in VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.