Social Worker - Home Based Primary Care

Summary

The Incumbent provides social work services for Veterans enrolled in the Home-Based Primary Care program. In-home social work services are provided for Veterans with a wide variety of multiple – complex chronic illnesses and/or profound disabilities. The position involves regular independent travel to patients' homes. Services provided include quality case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkages to other appropriate VA or community service providers.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred to and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

• 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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master 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 /T38
  
  Hybrid/
• Exception: VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for people who are otherwise qualified – pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations – this exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above – the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment – the supervisor will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• (a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level – VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent – master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam – and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years – social workers must become licensed at the independent – master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record
• Grandfathering Provision:
  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)
• English Language Proficiency:
  Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)

• Independently uses advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis of needs based on the assessment
• Advanced practice skills are applied to perform insightful assessments of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia, and other high-risk diagnoses
• Collaborates with the HBPC team in the development of the interdisciplinary team plan of care – works effectively with the HBPC team and other health care providers in…