Senior Social Worker - Oncology

About the role

The Oncology Senior Social Worker provides specialized social work services to Veterans who are being evaluated by or actively treated in the Medical and Radiation Oncology Clinics.

The position requires specialized knowledge and experience regarding cancer, including the disease process, treatment modalities, disease-specific biopsychosocial concerns, and disease-specific VA and community resources.

What you will do

• The incumbent performs specialized treatment of complex physical and mental illness for patients actively followed by the VAMHCS Radiation and/or Medical Oncology Clinics.
• The incumbent incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved scope of practice.
• Screening/Assessment: Assessment and education for newly diagnosed patients and clients beginning cancer treatment, patients contemplating changes in treatment modalities including consideration for bone marrow transplantation, and for end-of-life planning.
• Interviews Veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about their presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems as it relates to their functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment.
• Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths.
• Effectively uses professional skill, objectivity and insight.
• Uses advanced clinical training, insight and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options.
• Preforms other duties, as assigned.
• Psychosocial Treatment: Develops psychosocial treatment plans and works closely with the Veteran's interdisciplinary treatment team to assure good communication and treatment planning across the continuum of care.
• Identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services as needed.
• Supportive counseling: Provide the veteran and their family/caregivers with time-limited, supportive counseling.
• Assists the Veteran and the family/caregiver in coping with the psychosocial impact of chronic and disabling illnesses, the onset of catastrophic illness, end-of-life and bereavement issues.
• Evaluates the need for more specialized mental health care and refer to appropriate VA or community resources.
• Has knowledge regarding the symptoms and treatment of Depression, Military Sexual Trauma, PTSD, Substance Abuse and Suicidality and screens for these and other mental health issues to ensure appropriate referrals, prompt treatment and needed follow-up.
• Facilitates, as patient interest dictates, educational/support groups to meet client needs.
• Crisis Intervention: Provides crisis intervention services; addresses the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members.
• Assists in mitigating medical or psychiatric crises arising in presenting Veterans, within the scope of social work practice, and participate in developing crisis management and safety plans to minimize the event of future crises.
• Coordination of Care: Responsible for coordination of care, including identification and coordination/referral to address barriers to treatment.
• Work collaboratively with the Cancer Care Coordinators to ensure Veteran's Care in the Community (CITC) Oncology services are coordinated in a timely manner and to address psychosocial needs that impact access to care/ability to engage in care.
• Acts as a liaison for family, significant others, VA and community healthcare providers/service coordinators, insurance companies, community agencies, and other staff to effectively coordinate and manage care.
• Advocacy: Advocate for Veterans to ensure that they have access to all needed care and resources within VA and in the community.
• Educate and encourage the Veteran and their r family/caregiver to advocate on their own behalf, fostering independence and empowerment.
• Program Development and Evaluation & Professional Consultation: Monitors patterns of resource availability, identifying unmet needs and the resultant impact on the Veteran's psychosocial functioning.
• Communicates with appropriate stakeholders (e.g., the Social Work Chief, the Social Work Practice Sub-Committee, other VA programs, community partners) to encourage the development of new and innovative resources.
• Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve interventions and demonstrates the ability to implement effective changes based upon empirical findings.
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am - 4:00 pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Available - Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 512-270125-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Licensure: You must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• 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 (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.

Education

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 *** to verify that the social work degree meets the 4 accreditation standards for a masters of social work. 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: *** 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: ***

How you will be evaluated

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.

Documents you must provide

• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action 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. License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Other (1) Professional Certification SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Additional information

WHOLE HEALTH STATEMENT "Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing.

As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care." 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.

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.