There is a nationally recognized initiative to seamlessly transition the health care of injured and ill service members and Veterans from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. The VA Liaison for Health Care is seen as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) representative to the military installation and must represent the VA in all aspects of patient care, transfer, and outreach. 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. 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 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 by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 Experience/Education. The candidate must have 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. Senior social workers 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. Licensure/Certification. 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 they 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: 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: Experience working with active duty service members Experience serving as a field instructor and/or clinical supervisor References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G3 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major duties include, but are not limited to: Working closely with the MTF treatment team, as an independent practitioner, using advanced practice skills and expertise to provide ongoing consultation regarding complex discharge planning issues, VA health care benefits, resources, and facilities. Developing relationships and collaborating with the MTF social workers, nurses, case managers, managed care staff, and discharge planners to identify patients ready for discharge to a VA health care facility and to obtain clear referral information and authorization for VHA to treat those still on active duty. Meeting with the service member and/or family to provide education and an overview of VA health benefits and resources to address current medical and psychosocial issues identified as part of the service member's treatment plan. Coordinating with the liaison's home VA health care facility Enrollment Coordinator to initially register active-duty service members or enroll veterans at their facility utilizing the referral information. Collaborating with MTF social workers, nurses, and case managers to identify the VA health care facility where care will be transferred and an accepting physician at that facility. Identifying and communicating with the OEF/OIF Program Manager at the receiving VA health care facility to initiate and process referrals and linkages for transfers of care. Documenting all liaison activity in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) in the nationally standardized templates that are available on the Health Information Management website, as well as documenting in the Veterans Tracking Application (VTA) or its equivalent. Communicating the transfer plans to the patient and family while determining any unique patient or family needs requiring attention. Maintaining contact with the OEF/OIF Program Manager and with MTF staff, coordinating the transfer of care upon discharge from the MTF, and assisting in identifying and obtaining additional information needed from the MTF staff to optimize the transfer of care. Providing patient level referral and outcome information on all transfers of care from the MTF to the VA Liaison National Program Manager, Care Management and Social Work Service, Office of Patient Care Services, on a monthly basis through use of a spreadsheet, inputting summary information into an automated intranet workload report on a weekly basis, and attending regularly scheduled conference calls. Collaborating and communicating pertinent patient referral information with VBA staff that is also located at the MTF. Collaborating and communicating with various agencies and departments at the national, state, and local level in ensuring the seamless transition of healthcare. Preparing reports, briefs, and/or presentations for VA staff at all levels, DoD staff, Congressional Staff, Community Organizations, etc. regarding the Seamless Transition process and specific mechanics of their program. Collaborating with many VA, VHA, and VBA offices, including field staff, VISN offices, VHA facilities, VA Central Office programs, DoD, Veterans Service Organizations, and other Federal agencies. Assisting in developing and implementing seamless transition policies and programs that are of vital significance and interest to the top management of VHA, VA, DoD, Veterans Service Organizations, and Congress. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Senior Social Worker (Military Treatment Facility Liaison) / PD000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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