U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring: Social Worker in Portland

Overview

The Social Worker is assigned to inpatient care teams, providing a range of social work services for Veterans admitted to medical, surgical, critical, and specialty care units. Services include psychosocial screening and assessment, discharge planning, care, health education, advanced health care planning, and supportive counseling. The Social Worker works with the Emergency Department, Patient Aligned Care Team, Inpatient Acute Care Teams, and other administrative and clinical departments.

Responsibilities

• Screening/Assessment - The social worker will develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members, and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran\'s strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs in order to optimize the Veteran\'s functional status. The incumbent demonstrates an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult patients including geriatric patients related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, and age associated illnesses and conditions. The incumbent must have an understanding of the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of the geriatric Veteran, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population. It is the responsibility of the social worker, working within the interdisciplinary treatment team, to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on this assessment. The initial assessment will be completed as specified by the policy for the assigned work area. An initial patient assessment is required as well as reassessments as defined in policy.
• Discharge Planning/Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - The social worker is responsible for developing the discharge plan, treatment plan, and setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran and/or family/caregiver. The plan will be updated on a regular basis or more frequently if there is a change in the patient\'s condition or needs.
• Referral to Service Providers - Throughout the course of treatment 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. The social worker is 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 the surrogate decision-maker.
• Resource Usage/Development - The social worker is responsible for using the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of Veterans. The social worker will refer the Veteran to needed services.
• Advocacy - The social worker understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and/or family/caregiver. When appropriate and feasible, the social worker will educate and encourage the Veteran and/or family/caregiver to advocate on their behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.
• Crisis Intervention - The social worker is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. The social worker has access to multiple resources in addition to previously developed resources to meet the demands of a crisis.
• Education/Health Promotion and Prevention - The social worker provides education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will, and will refer Veterans and/or family/caregiver to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.
• Supportive Counseling - The social worker will provide the Veteran and family/caregiver with ongoing, supportive counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with acute, chronic, and/or disabling illness, and/or the onset of a catastrophic illness.
• Administrative Responsibilities - The social worker will enter all Veteran and family/caregiver contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff. This information will be reviewed on a regular basis. The social worker will establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers, and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies. The social worker will attend all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, social work staff meetings, and other committees as appropriate, etc.) and perform other duties as required. The social worker will collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program.
• Work Schedule - M-F: 7:30am-4:00pm or M-F: 8:00am-4:30pm
• Telework - Not Available
• Virtual - This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement # - 000000
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives - Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) - Not Authorized

Requirements