Summary The position is for a Home-based Primary Care Social Worker with the Aleda E Lutz Medical Center at the Outpatient Clinic in Traverse City. The incumbent has the ability to serve veterans who are in need of community services in their home. The incumbent identifies psychosocial problems, provides treatment, which may include family counseling, long term care and advanced care planning, non- pharmacological pain interventions, and grief and bereavement counseling. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties may include but are not limited to: The social worker will develop an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others, when appropriate. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the veteran's strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports as well as service needs in order to optimize the veteran's functional status and safely maintain the veteran in his/her home. Developing the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran/family in collaboration with the HBPC interdisciplinary treatment team. The social worker will include psychosocial problems in the interdisciplinary treatment plan and will attend weekly interdisciplinary care planning meetings. Ongoing assessments and updating treatment plans are done, when necessary, minimally every 90 days, as health status changes. Social workers will address the unique needs of Veterans who are homebound, frail, experiencing disabling and chronic health concerns, and/or are at end of life. The social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. The social worker will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veteran's needs for non-institutional, institutional services/programs and entitlements. Responsible for educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of his/her surrogate decision-maker. Responsible for developing a resource file of VA and community social service programs and will refer the veteran to needed services. Provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs. Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services- The social worker is responsible for the coordination of referrals to non-institutional services such as HBPC, ADHC/CADHC, home hospice, skilled and non-skilled homecare services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members. Educate the veteran, their families and the team on all options available to them and will collaborate with the veteran and family on identifying preferred service. The social worker may be required to do monitoring visits at area Adult Day Health Cares and/or Contract Nursing Homes. Work Schedule: Monday- Thursday; 7:00am-5:30pm (Compressed ) Compressed/Flexible: Available Recruitment Incentive (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 #: PD92816A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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. 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). 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: 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
