Senior Social Worker-Home Based Primary Care

Veterans Health Administration • Houston, TX

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker works in the Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. HBPC helps veterans and their families manage care at home by developing a suitable home environment and training family members to support the veteran’s personal and physical needs. The interdisciplinary HBPC team includes physicians, nursing staff, rehabilitation therapists, psychologists, dieticians, social workers, and a pharmacist.

The Senior Social Worker is an independent practitioner who provides comprehensive clinical assessment, education, screenings, discharge planning, and case management to eligible veterans and their families. The role addresses complex biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs, contributes to the interdisciplinary team’s goals of care, and requires clinical oversight, coordination, and creative problem-solving.

This is a GS-12 position. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., subject to change based on facility needs. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Work is performed in an office/clinic setting and may also involve field-based work and home visits. A valid, unrestricted state driver's license, a clean driving record, and the ability to independently operate a government vehicle are required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master’s degree.
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level; grandfathering may apply to eligible current VHA employees.
• At least two years of experience after advanced-practice clinical licensure in a specialized social work practice area, including one year equivalent to GS-11.
• Advanced-practice-level state licensure or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to the stated grandfathering provisions; ability to provide supervision for licensure.
• Demonstrated skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation into differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge of developing and implementing methods to measure effectiveness of social work practice and services, use outcome evaluations to improve treatment, and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Valid, unrestricted state driver's license, clean driving record, and ability to independently operate a government vehicle.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination and required background/security investigation; participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet application and onboarding requirements, including providing acceptable identification and required documents.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as specified by the agency.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with geriatric patients and caregivers.
• Experience collaborating as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Experience conducting field-based work and home visits.
• Certification or post-master’s training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university in a specialty, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform case-finding, outreach, screenings, initial intake, detailed psychosocial assessments, and develop a working diagnosis.
• Identify high-risk patients and provide case management services.
• Provide crisis intervention, address underlying causes as well as presenting complaints, coordinate family conferences, and serve as a liaison to family members.
• Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with veterans and their families.
• Work independently with patients and families experiencing psychiatric, medical, and social problems using individual, group, and family counseling and therapy skills.
• Provide consultation to staff about veterans’ psychosocial needs and how psychosocial problems affect health care and adherence to treatment plans.
• Participate as a member of the HBPC interdisciplinary team and contribute to developing goals of care.
• Facilitate referrals based on veterans’ needs and eligibility.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior