Social Worker - Geriatric and Extended Care

About the position

The Social Worker position at the Western New York VA Healthcare System in Buffalo, NY, focuses on providing direct services to veterans in the Geriric and Extended Care department. The role involves working collaboratively with various medical teams to deliver comprehensive psychosocial support, case management, and treatment planning for veterans and their families. The social worker will engage in a range of activities including counseling, discharge planning, and referrals for community services, ensuring that veterans receive the necessary support during their healthcare journey.

Responsibilities

• Provide a full range of social work services including casework, individual, family, and group counseling.
• Conduct discharge planning and case management for veterans in inpatient medical/surgical areas.
• Identify patient discharge disposition and make referrals for post-hospital needs such as home health aide and skilled nursing services.
• Educate patients and families on health care proxies and living wills.
• Advocate for patients to ensure timely access to services and act as a liaison between patients and the medical team.
• Participate in treatment planning with multidisciplinary teams and adjust plans as necessary based on patient status.
• Assist patients and families with adjustments to alternative living arrangements such as nursing home placements.
• Serve as a field instructor for graduate-level social work students and provide orientation and learning support.
• Respond to social work consults within designated time frames and ensure treatment aligns with patient needs.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work.
• Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's level.
• Proficient in written and spoken English.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience working with veterans and their families from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of community resources and ability to coordinate services.
• Skill in conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (including sick leave and paid federal holidays).
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.
• Child care subsidy for eligible employees after 60 days of employment.
• Traditional federal pension and federal 401K with contributions by VA.