Program Specialist

This developmental position is for the Office of the Service Chief in the Social Work Services at the Veterans Affairs Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS). The position composes a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Program Specialist. Major duties include but not limited to: Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits. Help Veterans and NOK prearrange burial, interment, cremation, as desired by Veteran. Advises surviving relatives about burial benefits and other potential benefits provided by VA. Reviews eligibility and entitlement of burial and death allowances and advises on the process for applying for those benefits. Refer surviving relatives with specific benefit inquiries to a VBA point of contact, not the toll free telephone number. Inform Veteran, caregiver and NOK of available supportive services within the medical facility, such as Chaplaincy and Social Work, to provide support at end of life and immediately following death. Reviews daily death notifications. Submits completed death certificates to designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office. Ensures Veterans with no relatives are provided a dignified funeral and burial at VA expense. Collaborates with VA offices to locate NOK when not readily known. Views, as required, the deceased Veteran's unclaimed body and/or remains to confirm VA funds are executed as intended in the burial purchase. Requests any clinical staff involved with care prior to death contact the survivor within 24 hours of the pronouncement of death. Identifies, in collaboration with designated facility staff, a responsible funeral home for the unclaimed remains and prepares a purchase order and/or contract to this effect. Completes required VA authorizations to release personal effects and any remaining funds in the patient's account to NOK or designated party. Records and transcribes providers' requests for permission from the legal next of kin or other designee by law to conduct an autopsy. Coordinates with VA physician and NOK/legal designee in obtaining signed consent in the event the family is not present to sign or the death occurred outside of normal business hours. Coordinates release of remains with appropriate services/outside agencies in the event of autopsy, or organ/tissue/body donation. Establishes and/or follows local procedures for whole body donation. Collaborates with Patient Aligned Care Team, Pharmacy and Prosthetics to cancel all appointments to include orders. Coordinates with Pathology Services to complete all forms and paperwork required to release the deceased remains to selected funeral home. Prepares and provides military information forms to the funeral home representative. Requests death certificates from the County Registrar's Office for all external notifications of a Veteran's death and updates records as appropriate within VA system. Coordinate the dispositions of personal funds and effects with the Office of General Council for Veterans that have been adjudicated as incompetent. This may require the position to appear in-person at county court houses. Collaborates with palliative care to promote quality end-of-life care by assisting in developing action plans and process improvements related to quantitative and qualitative reporting from the Bereaved Family Survey. Implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, demographics and outcomes. Investigates and analyzes adverse quality trends or conditions and initiates corrective action. Consults with staff and managers to identify opportunities for quality improvement. Facilitates quality management plan development and implementation. Collects, analyzes, and reports program data to local management, the designated VISN POC and the National SAMS Program. Evaluates program progress and outcomes using data to modify and improve the facility program and processes. Maintains and monitors performance measure requirements established by VHA, Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Operations (AUSHO), VISN and/or facility leadership. Uses agency, department and program knowledge to determine essential data collection and provide program assessment and analysis. Maintains proficiency in using local, regional and national databases. Conducts appropriate queries to answer questions about trends in patient care. Collects and manages new data about current practices in the department and across sites of care. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday Telework: This position is eligible for telework on an Ad- Hoc Basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required