Supervisory Social Worker

Summary

The Caregiver Support Program Supervisor is a Social Work Supervisor whose primary responsibilities are to provide clinical evidence-based services and interventions; program development; caregiver-Veteran and staff education; community outreach; resource development; continuous quality-improvement activities and evaluation/consultation related to the CSP. The Supervisor will function in support of caregivers-Veterans and family members throughout the Medical Center and in the community.

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

  • 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

  • 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

  • English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)

  • Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards

• Education and Experience:

  • One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level

  • Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment

  • Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship - or equivalent supervised professional experience

  • Licensure/Certification: Individual[s] assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure

• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities:

  • Ability to independently organize work - set priorities - and meet multiple deadlines

  • Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments and quality improvement

  • Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services

  • Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees - team leaders - and managers

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements the PCAFC specific to area of assignment and insures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives

• Administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to caregivers - families and Veterans

• Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits - referrals - caregiver demographics - equipment utilization and caregiver and Veteran satisfaction

• Develops implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services

• Participates in direct caregiver and Veteran communication to identify and assess caregiver stress/burden and the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions

• Advises and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams throughout the medical center on caregiver issues

• Provides education and in-service training to VAMC employees - Veterans - families and caregivers

• Provides ongoing consultation and support to colleagues regarding caregiver support

• Develops and facilitates caregiver support groups and educational programs

• Conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress - psychiatric illness - emotional distress and social needs

• Coordinates with other disciplines within the medical center to maintain the Veteran Assessment Clinic

• Provides referral to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits - community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs

• Provides referrals or consults - or direct admission of a Veteran to other VA programs

• Maintains a knowledge base of current theory and treatment modalities

• Collaborates with the VA Patient Aligned Care Team - mental health and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues

• Liaison between the VA and community agencies

• Develops and fosters relationships with community partners

• Provides outreach presentations to community social service agencies - military Guard and Reserve units - Veteran Service organizations

• Consults - guides and provides expertise to community organizations regarding Veteran caregiver specific issues and needs

• Develops and fosters a caregiver support protocol sensitive to the issues of the caregivers who are providing care to our youngest returning Veterans

• Develops and facilitates a data monitoring system to measure the efficacy of the General Caregiver Support Program

• Collects - analyzes and reports program data

• Evaluates program progress and outcomes and utilizes data to continuously modify and improve the program and processes