Supervisory Social Worker (Medical/Surgery)

Summary

Position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - .

Basic Requirements

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C.
• 7402(b)(9) - as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - enacted November 1 - 2000
• To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: 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 the CSWE website to verify if that 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-185 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 on the OHRM website
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3f
• 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 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
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met
• Grade Determinations: GS-12 (Supervisory Social Worker) Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment
• Candidate 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 experience
• Licensure/Certification
• Individuals assigned as supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to independently organize work - set priorities - and meet multiple deadlines
• Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments and quality improvement
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services
• Ability to provide staff training and development
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees - team leaders - and managers
• Assignment
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• At the GS-12 grade level - supervisory social workers typically have significant personnel management responsibilities for a small to moderate sized professional and non-professional staff - including support staff and professional staff at the GS-12 grade level and below
• The supervisory social worker is responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service - in a care/product line - or multiple facilities
• They provide direct clinical services with or without program coordination responsibilities
• Preferred Experience: Experience providing clinical supervision
• Experience with supervisory tasks including performance evaluation
• Experience with medical social work Experience with discharge planning
• Experience working as social worker in inpatient setting
• Experience working with leadership
• Experience with data collection and process improvement
• Experience with public speaking or teaching/training
• References: VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard
• For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• 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 community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies.

Duties

• The Medical/Surgical (Med/Surg) Social Work Supervisor serves in the Acute Medical/Surgical units at the VA Boston Healthcare System
• The position supervises social work staff and provides clinical case management and discharge planning services to Veterans receiving inpatient care
• Major duties may include - but are not limited to: Supervising and coordinating social work staff assigned to the acute Medical/Surgical units
• Providing clinical case management and discharge planning services to Veterans receiving inpatient care
• Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams and specialty services to coordinate care and transitions
• Assisting with program planning - performance monitoring - evaluation - and quality improvement
• Coordinating services with other VA programs and community partners - as appropriate
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: 7:30 a.m
• to 4:00 p.m
• Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When 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 experience
• Parental 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 child
• Child 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 $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Karen Chapman at karen.chapman@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad-Hoc only
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F08713 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
• PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized
• Financial Disclosure: Not required
• Notifications: Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a special rate
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.