Senior Social Worker-Home Based Primary Care

Veterans Health Administration • Houston, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is hiring a Senior Social Worker for its Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Program. HBPC helps Veterans and their families manage health care at home by supporting a suitable home environment and training family members to address patients’ personal and physical needs. The interdisciplinary 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 assessments, education and screenings, discharge planning, and case management for eligible Veterans and their families. The role addresses complex biological, psychological, social, and environmental needs, participates in interdisciplinary care planning, and provides clinical coordination and problem-solving. The position is based in an office/clinic setting and includes field-based work and home visits as reflected in the preferred experience.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., subject to change based on facility needs. Telework and virtual work are not available. The position is permanent and full-time. Recruitment or relocation incentives and permanent change-of-station assistance are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointments 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.
• For the Senior Social Worker GS-12 grade: at least two years of experience after advanced practice clinical licensure, including one year equivalent to GS-11, in a specialized area of social work practice.
• 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 methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services, using 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, or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Valid, unrestricted state driver’s license; ability to independently operate a government vehicle and provide a clean DMV driving record report.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination and background/security investigation; complete required onboarding and application documentation.
• Meet the seasonal influenza vaccination requirement for VA health care personnel.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.

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 area, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform case finding, outreach, screening, initial intake, and detailed psychosocial assessments; develop working diagnoses.
• Identify high-risk patients and provide case management services.
• Provide crisis intervention addressing underlying causes and presenting concerns; coordinate family conferences and serve as a liaison to family members.
• Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families.
• Provide individual, group, and family counseling and therapy to patients and families with psychiatric, medical, and social problems.
• Consult with other staff about Veterans’ psychosocial needs and the effects of psychosocial problems on health care and treatment-plan adherence.
• Participate as a member of the HBPC interdisciplinary team and contribute to development of goals of care.
• Facilitate referrals according to Veterans’ needs and eligibility.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.
• Use knowledge of Veterans’ benefits and services, including special programs, service-connected compensation, and nonservice-connected pensions.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a child care subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income, child eligibility, and subsidy limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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 may be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA needs.

What This Job Offers

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