Social Worker

Department of Veterans Affairs

This social worker is assigned to the Community Living Center (CLC) at the Nebraska Western Iowa VA Health Care System (NWI). The social worker is responsible for providing social work services to the Veteran residents of this area. The social worker is a member of an interdisciplinary team and is primarily responsible for completing biopsychosocial history and assessments, completing the psychosocial portions of the care plan and the Minimum Data Set (MDS).

• Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Provide orientation to new residents of the CLC, communicating with Veterans and family members/significant others the purpose of CLC, expected length of stay and goals for discharge on admission to the CLC. Conduct biopsychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members. Is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. Facilitate the Long-Term Care Co-Pay process with the Veteran and family members. Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines, and Veterans and family members to the least restrictive environment through shared decision making and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. Provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, and VA services and benefits. Act as a consultant to other team/staff members. Act as liaison between VA and community resources. Provide case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care. Provide a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case management, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, vulnerable adult reporting, and other services as appropriate. Provide psychosocial treatment to assist Veterans and family members with psychosocial concerns. This may include financial, legal, housing, and other issues that can impact on health and functioning. It also includes helping Veterans cope with new diagnoses, declining functioning, limitations on functioning, and death. Guiding principles are to promote health and wellness and move care forward for the well-being of the Veteran. Assist Veterans with crisis situations as required. Serve as the CLC contact person with family members and significant others and will coordinate family conferences and meetings and address family issues that impact the Veteran's health and functioning. Serve as an advocate for residents with facility staff and treatment team members and will help other team members understand the Veteran's perspective, life situation, coping mechanisms, and psychosocial problems. Assist Veterans address advance care planning and end-of-life issues, including advance directives, living wills, pain management, dying and the transition to palliative and hospice care. Provide wellness/prevention education and facilitate resident/family support groups as appropriate. As appropriate, supervise the practice of social work students, or a less experienced social worker. Coordinate treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for veterans. Participate in various Service Line or health care system workgroups, committees, and/or councils to represent and contribute social work expertise as assigned. Document all social work interventions and activities in the resident's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring patient care. This independent documentation includes the initial biopsychosocial assessment, periodic reassessments (at least quarterly or as changes in the resident's condition occur), review of progress towards problem resolution and treatment goals/outcomes, regular progress notes and a closing or discharge summary. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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). 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: Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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