Social Worker - Patient Representative/Advocate

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Federal pension/retirements

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Des Moines, IA seeks a Patient Representative/Advocate to resolve patient complaints and support service recovery.

The role collaborates with Service Line Advocates and facility staff to improve patient experiences and patient rights across VA benefits and entitlement programs. The position requires a CSWE-accredited master’s in social work, state licensure, and the ability to coordinate care with Veterans, families, and community resources.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship required.
• English language proficiency for social workers.
• Master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Licensure or certification required to practice social work at the master’s level.
• Post-MS W experience requirements vary by grade level and licensure status.
• Knowledge of community resources and ability to coordinate services.

Responsibilities

• Resolve patient complaints and initiate service recovery.
• Collaborate with Service Line Advocates and staff to improve patient experience.
• Maintain liaison with patients, families, staff, and community groups to ensure rights and access to care.
• Enter patient concerns and compliments into the appropriate data systems.
• Support program planning and quality improvement initiatives.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Advocacy

Crisis intervention

Customer service

Education

Master’s in Social Work (CSWE accredited)

Job description

Summary

The Patient Representative/Advocates are responsible for complaint resolution with service recovery - working with Service Line Advocates - to help resolve issues with the patients about their experiences of care. They collaborate with other facility staff in the creation - development - and implementation of initiatives and actions that improve patient experience. They serve as a resource to Veterans - their caregivers - and VA staff on general VA benefits and other entitlement programs.

Summary

The Patient Representative/Advocates are responsible for complaint resolution with service recovery - working with Service Line Advocates - to help resolve issues with the patients about their experiences of care. They collaborate with other facility staff in the creation - development - and implementation of initiatives and actions that improve patient experience. They serve as a resource to Veterans - their caregivers - and VA staff on general VA benefits and other entitlement programs.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part
• Education Requirement: 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
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• Licensure Requirement: 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
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• Exception: VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• 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: GS-9 (Entry Level): Experience and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• For appointments at the GS-9 grade level - VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam - and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the applicant's resume must demonstrate all of the following KSAs
• Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members - and to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the Veterans problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals
• This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive - problem solving - or crisis intervention techniques
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries
• common medications and their effects/side effects
• and medical terminology
• GS-11 (Full Performance Level): 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 work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the applicant's resume must demonstrate all of the following KSAs
• Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e
• acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan
• Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and social problems to achieve treatment goals
• Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers - social work graduate students - and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment
• All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package
• We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications
• Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification
• It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• Major duties include - but are not limited to the following: Ensures that national VA patient advocacy program requirements are met by collecting - analyzing - and evaluating relevant data
• and preparing meaningful reports based on that data
• Shares data results with leadership and implement changes affected by VA National programs
• Identifies existing or potential problem areas and suggests solutions or alternatives to existing procedures which contribute to these problems
• Receives and listens to complaints and grievances from patients or from individuals on behalf of patients
• Will assist Service Line Advocates (SLAs) and front-line staff in resolving issues that occur at the point of service
• Makes inquiries into patient complaints - initiates action or changes necessary to correct problem situations - and report on corrective measures takenIndependently resolves the most difficult and complex problems - expedites services - and implements necessary corrective measures within established facility policies
• Reviews files - records - and consults with staff or witnesses about practices that may violate patient rights or cause unnecessary discomfort or embarrassment - then reports findings and improvement recommendations to the facility Director or management
• Assists with disclosure as needed
• The incumbent serves as a liaison between patients - staff - administration - family - and the community
• by ensuring the needs of all customers are met appropriately and within the laws - regulations - and policies of the Veterans Health Administration
• The incumbent may investigate congressional inquiries made on behalf of patients and prepare written correspondence sent to staff assistants at the Congressional offices
• This correspondence may be prepared in collaboration with patient-care service lines - the Business Office - or other service lines to ensure the response is accurate
• The incumbent remains well informed of VA programs - policies - patients' rights and activities on national - regional - and local level
• The incumbent presents this information accurately to employees and the Veterans
• Informs patients of their rights and responsibilities regarding their treatment and health care while at VA Central Iowa
• Represents the facility in safeguarding and ensuring ethical - statutory and constitutional rights of patients
• Assists patients - their families and representatives - and facility staff members in recognizing and removing institutional barriers to the provision of optimum health care to veterans
• Maintains a working liaison with Veterans' service organizations - community groups - and others whose interests are in helping and protecting Veterans - their families and their representatives
• Responsible for making sure patient complaints and compliments are entered into Patient Advocate data entry system or other systems in use by the Patient Advocates Office
• Responsible for various patient survey data that requires facility action through direct community or coordination with service line
• Will serve or be available to meet with - as needed - on various committees that review patient care and issues of quality improvement to best serve the Veterans
• Interfaces with various committees to resolve problems - assist with program planning - and identify opportunities for improvement
• Ability to distinguish between causes and effects - analyze fundamental problems - and develop solutions logically and systematically
• Will assist SLAs and front-line staff in resolving issues that occur at the point of service Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Compressed/Flexible: 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: Not Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized