Summary The Caregiver Support Program is one of the Veterans Health Administration's most rapidly growing service areas as a result of infrastructure modernization, programming, innovation, and expansion of population served by the Program Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PFAFC) under Mission Act. The program's goal is to not only support caregivers and their role, but to also promote their health and well-being through education, therapeutic engagement and resource and service linkage. Responsibilities Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties included but not limited to: 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. Completing all reports, data, and maintain reporting requirements with outcomes related to the CSP program. Keeping supervisors apprised of problems and recommend solutions to problems encountered in the incumbent's area of responsibility Furthering one's own professional growth and ensuring continuing education that is appropriate to the area of assignment. Providing assistance with the orientation and learning of less experienced social workers, and if interested, to serve as a field instructor for graduate level social work students. Demonstrating knowledge and skill in the use of software applications for drafting documents and data management as well as other computer systems used by the VHA Maintaining a level of productivity and quality consistent with the complexity of the assignment and consistent with Social Work standards, Joint Commission standards, and VISN standards. Modifying tour of duty as necessary to accommodate the needs of veterans and/or caregivers. Engaging in coordination with the VA and community agencies, organizations, and groups as to learn of current services, resources and/or other benefits available for homeless veterans. Actively participate in the CSP conference calls and participating in other relevant conference calls and/or meetings as assigned. Using knowledge of the CSP to matrix veteran level of functioning with the appropriate CSP services (i.e., Program of General Caregiver Support Services [PGCSS]; PCAFC, and/or veteran entitlement benefits) in order to ensure patient safety, recovery, and program stewardship. Organizing delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including access to care and discharge planning. Applying advanced discipline's clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating PCAFC eligibility. Functioning as a technical expert in clinical practice and/or CSP related to the assigned roles and responsibilities. Systematically evaluating current practice and formulating outcomes for groups of patients, caregivers, and/or organizational processes with an area of expertise. Using professional standards of care, scientific evidence, and practice to evaluate program and or service activities and implementing broad reaching evidence based change. (VA handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39). Leading and organizing practice and process evaluation to assure continuity and peer accountability. Working with inter-professional team members at regional, VISN and facility levels to ensure PCAFC eligibility determinations are delivered objectively with strong, consistent inter-rater reliability with documentation and communication of outcomes in a direct or coordinated manner. Coordinating with other regional CEATS and VACO CSP to develop and implement strategies for PCAFC eligibility, tier level, discharge, appeals process, and performance improvement. Conducting comprehensive clinical review of patient records to identify the presence of veteran level of functioning and corresponding need for assistance with personal care services and/or supervision, or protection needs on a daily basis. Maintaining understanding of eligibility associated with VA service connection and conducts review of eligibility documents as needed to determine whether a service-connected condition meets eligibility requirements. Analyzing data obtained in record review for use in determining clinical eligibility for PCAFC. Documenting information utilized in clinical eligibility determination and eligibility assessment tools. Conducting peer reviews and other assigned audits to aid in achieving consistency nationally. Collaborating with and contributing knowledge to the community of practice across businesses and regions with CSCs and CEAT members. Utilizing knowledge of PCAFC clinical eligibility to coordinate with other regional CEATs the transfer of appeals for inter-VISN evaluation. Assisting the VISN with mission act implementation as it relates to CSP and PCAFC expansion. Receiving, reviewing, and providing dispositions of PCAFC initial eligibility decision, reassessments, and appeal decision for clinical eligibility determinations. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Travel: Up to 25% may be required. Remote: This is a remote position. Requirements Conditions of Employment NOTE: Prior to accepting a final employment offer, all selected applicants will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination and maintain CDT physical readiness. 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. Must be able to meet physical demands which include strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distances over difficult terrain, running, climbing, working long hours in primitive or arduous conditions, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. 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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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. 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. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work 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 they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Experience: At least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment and are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 and Certifications Current work in the Program if Comprehensive Assistance to Family Caregivers (PCAFC) within the VHA Caregiver Support Program (CSP). Acute understanding of the intricacies of PCAFC eligibility criteria. Excellent online communication skills. Ability to engage in effective, respectful, interdisciplinary team work. Familiarity with leading case presentations. Proficient use of CARMA data tracker. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. 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. 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.