Senior Social Worker (Palliative Care Coordinator/Community Living Center)

Summary

The CLC provides long term care, short-stay continuing care, short-stay rehabilitation, short-stay skilled nursing, respite, and end-of-life care. Primary Care, Urgent Care, Ambulatory Specialty Care, Mental Health, Telehealth and Community Health/Home Care are offered by this facility. The main medical center is in Poplar Bluff, MO; with (CBOC) located in Farmington, Sikeston and West Plains, Missouri and Pocahontas and Paragould, Arkansas with a Health Care Center in Cape Girardeau, MO.

Duties

Major Duties: The Senior Social Worker is assigned to the Community Living Center (CLC) and as the Hospice/Palliative Care (HPC) Program Coordinator. The position requires advanced clinical skills in assessing and addressing the complex psychosocial needs of Veterans, their families, and caregivers. The incumbent provides comprehensive psychosocial assessments, short-term solution focused counseling, supportive counseling, crisis intervention, treatment planning, resource coordination, and discharge planning. Services frequently involve Veterans experiencing a crisis, serious illness, functional decline, or complex barriers to care. Referrals originate from interdisciplinary team members, Veterans, family members, caregivers, significant others, and community professionals. Veterans and their support people may also request assistance directly. The incumbent manages, plans, implements, monitors, and evaluates social work services within the assigned programs and service areas. The incumbent establishes annual program goals, reports outcomes regularly and at the end of each fiscal year and provides additional reports as requested. The incumbent develops a systematic process for reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of social work services in accordance with applicable VA, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), VA Central Office (VACO), and local facility policies and procedures. The position's duties are as follows: Hospice/Palliative Care Program Coordinator: 40%. Community Living Center Clinical Social Worker: 60%. The incumbent provides coverage in other areas of the medical center as needed. Provides education to Veterans and families related to VA benefits and services, community resources, entitlements, and completion of Advanced Directives and Living Wills. Refers Veteran and families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health needs. Develops and maintains a system for identifying Veterans served by the facility and community who may benefit from hospice or palliative care services. Serves as the point of contact for inquiries concerning the HPC Program, including inquiries from Veterans, families, community hospitals, nursing homes, Veterans Service Organizations, and congressional offices. Prepares HPC Program reports for the Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care, VACO, and other stakeholders. Develops referral procedures among the HPC Program, VA facilities, community hospitals, and community agencies. Facilitates appropriate and timely transfers between care settings. Establishes program performance standards and continuously monitors services to determine whether the program meets the needs of Veterans and the medical center. Develop program policies and procedures to support compliance with applicable regulatory standards. Identifies and evaluates local, state, and national community resources that support continuity of care and improve Veterans' quality of life. Explores and evaluates community placement options, including assisted living facilities, nursing homes, housing resources, and state Veterans homes. Develops and implements outreach activities for Veterans with palliative care needs who may benefit from services but do not currently receive their health care through VA. Ensures that the HPC Program uses an interdisciplinary approach and is integrated with inpatient and outpatient medical services. Manages daily program operations, evaluates program effectiveness, and modifies service delivery approaches to improve services and customer satisfaction. Serves as the social work member of the interdisciplinary Palliative Care Consult Team (PCCT), providing clinical services to Veterans with complex and frequently changing care needs. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 07:30am - 4:00pm Telework: ADHOC Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000000 GS-0185-12 Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications and evaluation

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

How to apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/23/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13115027. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Professional Certification Transcript HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU CLEARLY DOCUMENT THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSA's) LISTED FOR THE POSITION. THEY ARE LISTED IN THE QUALIFICATION SECTION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Driver's License: Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU CLEARLY DOCUMENT THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSA's) LISTED FOR THE POSITION. THEY ARE LISTED IN THE QUALIFICATION SECTION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Driver’s License: Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Other (3) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU CLEARLY DOCUMENT THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSA's) LISTED FOR THE POSITION. THEY ARE LISTED IN THE QUALIFICATION SECTION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Driver's License: Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.