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The Fargo VA Health Care System is recruiting for 1 full-time Social Worker for the Hospice and Palliative Care Team. This position is located at the Fargo VA Health Care System, 2101 Elm St NE, Fargo, ND 58102. This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons 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. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Grade Determinations: GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II, Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. ["The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. The incumbent serves as a Social Worker in the Hospice and Palliative Care Team with in the Fargo Veterans Affairs Health Care System. The Palliative Plus Program is built upon the premise of expanding hospice access and complex care coordination for Veterans who may be hospice eligible, but not yet willing or able to be enrolled. The program provides comprehensive health care and intensive case management services to medically and psychosocially complex veterans who are navigating terminal illness. The incumbent will work closely with the Palliative Plus Nurse as well as the Hospice and Palliative care team. The Veteran population served through the Palliative Plus Program include those who tend to be high utilizers of our health care system and who tend to have aggressive goals of care. The Palliative Plus social worker will assist the Coordinator in facilitating the spread of the program throughout VISN 23 through leadership, mentorship, education, and independently provides case management services for Veterans enrolled in the palliative plus program. The incumbent will provide coverage as needed to other social work services which includes; Medical Foster Home, Home Based Primary Care, Contract Nursing Home, Spinal Cord Injury and the Community Living Center. The incumbent will also participate in the facilities Social Work on-call program. The incumbent is accountable to the Rehab and Extended Care ICC Social Work Supervisor in carrying out operational functions described above. The incumbent has clinical involvement in patient care by providing clinical case consultation to patient/family/community inquiries about services or patient care issues. Clinical social work services may be delivered in person or by VVC modalities with both patients and other VISN Palliative Plus sites. Duties include, but are not limited to: The health care and psychosocial and health care needs of this population are complex sometimes resulting in controversial end of life care needs. The incumbent will demonstrate a high degree of clinical independence and expertise, resource knowledge, and creative complex problem solving skills in order to meet the needs of the veterans served. Adherence to strong clinical boundaries, abiding by facility, VISN, and national policies, and exercising strong ethical practices are critical to the position. Expertise and knowledge of VA benefits is also required to serve this patient population. The incumbent will independently provide clinical interventions and case management services to veterans with life-limiting illness and their loved ones. Services may be offered to veterans, and their loved ones, receiving care in an inpatient setting (e.g medicine, intensive care unit(s), or community living center setting), an outpatient settings, and/or in the community through a partnership with community agencies in nursing home or home based settings. Bereavement services may be offered to any surviving loved one who has experienced the loss of a veteran. The incumbent will work closely with Palliative Plus Nurse Case Manager and providers. The incumbent will engage in complex and multi-system involved aspects of care planning, end-of-life planning, advanced care planning. and treatment planning with Palliative Plus Veterans. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU ?*** This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Qualifying SLRP participants can receive up to $40,000 per year in education debt payments with a combined total not to exceed $100,000. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program. *** Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Telework: Available - Ad Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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