Summary The Palliative Care Senior Social Worker in Social Work Service is licensed to independently practice social work. Incumbent can be assigned to various clinical settings to include, but not limited to settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) or satellite outpatient clinics, inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Responsibilities Major duties include: Provides services to Veterans collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, where the Veterans receiving palliative care services may often be treated with multiple complex and comorbid medical and mental health conditions causing barriers in functioning and/or with terminal diagnosis, as well as significant psychosocial stressors and needs. Provides independent clinical duties to include a full range of social work within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes comprehensive biopsychosocial spiritual assessments, documentation, social determinants of health screenings, Advance Directives, Goals of Care, case management, crisis intervention, risk/suicide assessments, documentation, safety planning, abuse/neglect/exploitation reporting, psychoeducation, resource referrals, coordination of care within SAVAHCS and community stakeholders, discharge care planning, and other services as appropriate. Provides supportive counseling and advanced case management interventions to reduce the Veteran's stress through all phases of life limiting diagnosis and treatment from time of diagnosis to cure or end of life. Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area of Palliative Care, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, end of life needs, and 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. Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, needs, coping skills, cultural and spiritual preferences and values, psychosocial acuity and facilitating appropriate, and timely access to services, interventions, and resources. Conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate to include suicide safety planning and abuse/neglect reporting. Provides a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. Implements evidence-base care guidelines, best practice, and research in the care of the Veteran applicable to Palliative Care. Tracks, conducts data management, monitors, identifies trends, preparing reports on veterans receiving palliative care services. Ensures timely warm handoffs, communication, and collaboration during transitions in care for the Veteran. Facilitates Veteran's self-determination and self-management through tenants of advocacy, shared and informed decision making, counseling, and health education, and engages other VHA and community services as needed and ensures that adequate follow-up care has been brokered, when appropriate. Provides education related to coping with health conditions, end of life, Palliative Care, VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives and Life Sustaining Treatment options, guardianship, insurance, and co-pay(s) information, etc., and refers Veterans/families to the appropriate VA staff, programs, and community resources. Provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans in palliative care, offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise, and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Establishes and facilitates ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, on topics related to understanding, best practices, research, and policy on palliative care related issues. Incorporates the principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) in clinical care and customer service. Adheres and maintains compliance with federal, state, and local directives, policies, operating procedures, rules and regulations, accreditation, and certification standards include adherence Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and The Joint Commission. Adheres to national and local policies on clinical documentation practices and documents social work activity in medical record comprehensively, timely, promptly, accurately, and concisely. Serves the Medical Center and social work profession in a variety of capacities, such as committee, unit councils, workgroups, special assignments, or other duties as assigned that are necessary to meet program goals and VA Mission. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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 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. Proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Hold 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. 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: GS-12 Senior Social Worker Licensure: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. GS-12 ASWB Examination: Must have completed and passed the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) advanced generalist or clinical examination. GS-12 Senior Social Worker Experience: Must possess at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience 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; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. GS-12 Senior Social Worker Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience for the GS-12 level, must possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Two-plus years working in Hospice or Palliative Care is preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work include sitting, standing, walking, standing, driving, pushing equipment and wheelchairs, lifting, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and carrying light items such as papers, books, or other supplies. The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks. The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the Veteran/patient population and their families/caregivers. A level of self- awareness and emotional intelligence is essential. 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: 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: 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.