Senior Social Worker

The Senior Social Worker position is assigned under the Social Work Service within the Amarillo Veterans Affairs Healthcare System and is located at the Lubbock, TX Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include: Provides a full range of social services to patients/residents and families presenting problems, which run the gamut from common human needs to complex psychosocial problems. Establishes a social diagnosis/evaluation to determine the most effective treatment method. Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. Incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of medical, psychiatric, and social problems utilizing individual, group and family counseling and therapy skills. Ensures that essential clinical social work and administrative functions include the coordination of community-based programs with VA programs throughout the continuum of care and include information, education and referral to the benefit of the Veteran. This individual has case management responsibilities for his or her assigned workload and case manages the care and coordination of the Amarillo Veterans Affairs Medical Center Contract Nursing Home Program. Develops an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others. Responsible for developing the treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran/family related to the social needs of the veteran. Collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs. The social worker is responsible for educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services within the VA and the community and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision­maker. Acts as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family. When appropriate and feasible, the social worker will educate and encourage the veteran/family to advocate on own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment. Collaboratse with the Mental Health Social Worker/Heath Care Team to assure appropriate timely care. Provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives, and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Reviews the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each veteran being referred for geriatric services. Social worker will educate the veteran, their families and the team of all the options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family on the preferred option. Provides the veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling. Enters all veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Participates in activities that obtain feedback from veterans and work to enhance services as needed. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00am - 04:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 56409F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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/. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. 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. If your school was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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.