Social Worker (Acute Medicine-Surgery)

Department of Veterans Affairs

The incumbent works onsite in the Emergency Department or Acute Care inpatient units. The purpose of this assignment is to provide a full range of comprehensive and professional medical social work services to Veterans and their families. The incumbent provides screening, assessment, care coordination, resource referral, and discharge planning to individuals and families with a variety of social, emotional, and health-related challenges.

• VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The purpose of this assignment is to provide a full range of comprehensive and professional medical social work services to Veterans and their families who are admitted to the Emergency Department or Inpatient Medicine-Surgery Units at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. The incumbent provides screening, assessment, and care coordination, resource referral, and discharge planning to individuals and families with a variety of social, emotional, and health-related challenges. Services are timely and effectively coordinated with other health professionals, including the attending physician, medical interns and residents, physical and occupational therapists, nurses, social workers from other VA programs, nurse case managers, pharmacists, etc. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: GS-9: The social worker is supervised by the Supervisory Social Worker. Work is reviewed through regularly scheduled meetings with the supervisor, through monitoring of progress notes and other accountability practices, and from reports from the program areas to which the incumbent is assigned. All social work duties must be under the close supervision of a social work supervisor or licensed social worker of a higher grade. GS-11: The social worker performs duties independently, reporting to the Supervisory Social Worker, Acute Medicine Section. Supervision/consultation is of an administrative and professional nature. Work is reviewed by spot-check, through regularly scheduled meetings with the supervisor, through monitoring of recording and other accountability practices, and from reports from the program areas to which the incumbent is assigned. Screening/Assessment: With guidance from the social work supervisor, the Social Worker will conduct an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members, and significant others. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: The incumbent is responsible for working with the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on their assessment, setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran/family. Referral to service providers and discharge planning: Throughout the course of treatment, the social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources and discharge planning. Resource Usage/Development: The incumbent is responsible for knowing and enhancing current social work resources. Advocacy: The incumbent understands the challenges of navigating bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family. Crisis Intervention: In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, staff will follow the protocol of the program at this VA facility. Supportive counseling: Social worker will provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling during their hospitalization. Consultation: Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans. Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm or as determined by the supervisor. Compressed/Flexible: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for the incentive. Contact v21ccoeedrp@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator, for questions/assistance. Learn more 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 off 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 by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10304-F, 100092-F

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