Job Description
Summary
The Western NY VA Healthcare system is currently recruiting for one Social Worker at the Buffalo NY location. This specific social worker is assigned to inpatient and outpatient care veterans with primary responsibility to provide direct services under the direction of the Geriatric and extended Care line - and and will provide support to Programs offered to veterans and their families who have need for psychosocial intervention(s).
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
- English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
- 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
- License or Certification*: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
- 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
- Failure to Obtain License or Certification
- In all cases - social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment
- Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
- 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: Social Worker - GS-11Experience 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 in Part II - Appendix G39 at 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 - AND 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 - 7 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
- Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
- The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
- Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing - walking - bending - twisting - and carrying light items
- Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
- the area is adequately lighted - heated and ventilated
- However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
Duties
- This Social Work position is located at the VA Western New York Healthcare System - in Buffalo New York
- The incumbent is assigned to Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) Line and works in collaboration with multiple teams including: Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) - Behavioral Health Care Line (BVAC) - Medicine Teams and Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT)
- The GEC Social Worker is responsible for delivery of care - referrals for treatment services and case management services
- The incumbent is assigned to work with a variety of patients and families in the inpatient medical/surgical areas
- Responsible for maintaining patient centered relationships in collaboration with many disciplines including outpatient services
- Home and community-based services - Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) and Community Living Centers (CLC)
- Duties include - but are not limited to: Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice - which includes casework - individual - family and group counseling - discharge planning - case management and other services as appropriate
- Direct services provided including: social work triage - identifying patient discharge disposition - making referrals for post hospital needs such as home health aide - skilled nursing - in-home rehab services - transportation - adult day health care - behavioral health programs
- Providing health care proxy/living will education and completion
- economic assistance or financial aid services and strategies to increase income (employment - vocational rehabilitation - VA benefits - disability)
- Determine patient disposition which may involve placement to the least restrictive environment (i.e
- retirement facility/supportive living - assisted living - nursing home - or homeless shelter - group home - or a return to the prior to admission living situation)
- Actively participate in the treatment planning process with other disciplines which may be modified in relation to any change in the patient medical status
- Assists patient and family with adjustment to alternative living arrangements such as nursing home placement - (long-term - sub-acute rehab) - assisted living - supportive housing - etc
- Referrals are made as soon as possible during the patient's episode of care
- Advocate on behalf of patient to ensure services are obtained in a timely manner
- Act as a liaison between patient/family and medical team in communicating concerns or issues of importance
- Serves on committees - work groups - and task forces at the facility as deemed appropriate by the supervisor
- Keeps their supervisor apprised of problems and recommended solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility
- Provides assistance with orientation and learning and serves as a field instructor for graduate level social work students
- Is responsible for supporting the mission - policies - and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs - the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and the facility
- Social Work Consults are answered within designated time frame and response/treatment is congruent with the provider's request and patient's needs
- Note: A Licensed Social Worker at the GS-11 grade will perform duties Independently
- Work Schedule: Full-Time
- Monday - Friday (7:30am - 4:00pm) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Ad-hoc per agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Functional Statement #: 11736-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf VA Careers - Social Work: Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf
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About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
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