Summary This position is located at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Gulfport MS, in Health Care Services. The Social Worker performs clinical work independently in providing a wide range of challenging social work services that are essential to the well-being of Residents/families in Long-Term Care (LTC) and Independent Living. Responsibilities As a SOCIAL WORKER, you will: Provide social work services for a geriatric population who experience a variety of complex social, medical, and psychiatric problems, focusing on the social and emotional impact of physical and mental illness or impairment, enhancing the quality of life by establishing therapeutic relationships with Residents and their families/significant others, and effectively managing interpersonal issues ranging from intimacy to aggression and violence. Ensure that Residents' self-determination is safe guarded to the extent possible through actively involving them in planning and decision-making. Locate and arrange resources, understanding how systems interact and what resources are available to meet the identified needs. Effectively relate to the Resident's family members who are feeling guilt related to placement. Use expert knowledge, manage Residents with palliative care and End-of-life issues both with the Residents and family members. Responsible for the completion and updating of the living will and advanced directives. Render advice and handle the Resident's personal financial aspects by setting up controlled accounts and obtaining coupons. Call family/attorneys when financial funds are low. Read and interpret mail, bills, financial and Medicare/Tri-care statements and help Resident pay bills. Order checks and problem solves with banks. Assist with compiling and gathering documents for tax preparation. When necessary, is involved in the sale of personal property/belongings if Resident is in a diminished condition and his/her family members are unable to assist. Assist Residents in signing up for Medicare and supplemental insurances. Assist the Residents in completing the annual VA enrollment forms. Requirements Conditions of Employment If you do not meet any of the categories listed above, you may wish to apply under announcement 25-AFRH-12746539-P, which is open for any U.S. citizen to apply. Please refer to that announcement for details on open period, eligibility, and how to apply. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé. Key Requirements: Please refer to "Conditions of Employment." Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National Qualifications You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirements: Education: You must have fulfilled all of the requirements for a master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; AND Licensure: You must possess a State or DC license to practice as an Independent Practitioner. You must have substantial experience in a healthcare setting in dealing with geriatric population, dementia, and/or medical and psychiatric social work skills and experience; AND Licensure: You must qualify for and maintain credentials in Healthcare Services Department as an Independent Healthcare Provider. AND Specialized experience for the GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Providing admission preparation, assessment, counseling, day-to-day assistance, initiation and revision of care plans, and integrated services to effectively coordinate resident/patient care within a geriatric population. OR you may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field; or 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field; or LL.M., if related. OR you may qualify on a combination of education and experience: To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100% percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education. SPECIAL NOTE: Long-term care experience and/or interacting with geriatric patients is highly desired. In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-9 level for 52 weeks Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment Education Education Requirements: You must have fulfilled all of the requirements for a master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. Additional Information We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This is a bargaining unit position - AFGE American Federation of Government Employees Local 1027 CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: A one year probationary period may be required. Must successfully complete a background investigation. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment. Selectees will be subject to the AFRH Tuberculosis Surveillance Program. Wear required safety clothing and/or equipment required by the position. This may include safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, masks, etc. Because the AFRH's mission requires uninterrupted, direct human support and medical care for its Residents, this position is considered essential for continuing AFRH operations. Therefore, the incumbent is expected to arrive for duty on time, as scheduled, and to complete the assigned tour during emergency situations such as hazardous weather. Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes: Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards. Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year. Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire. A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums. A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions. The AFRH ethics program promotes the highest standards of ethical conduct for all employees. As a federal employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, and the U.S. criminal conflict of interest statutes. As an AFRH employee, you will also be subject to the AFRH Supplemental Ethics Regulations which restrict the extent to which a AFRH employee can engage in certain activities and hold certain investments. Depending on your position, you may also be required to file a public or confidential financial disclosure report which must be filed within 30 days of your appointment as an employee of AFRH. Upon your new appointment, you will receive guidance regarding your ethics obligations. You will also be required to attend a mandatory ethics training within 3 months of your appointment. Please contact the Agency Ethics Officer (Joseph Pollard) at (202) 541-7557, or joseph.pollard@afrh.gov if you should have any questions. Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay\and\Benefits
