Program Specialist – Survivor Assistant & Memorial Support Specialist (Samss)

Summary

The position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS). Program under the Chief, Social Work or Social Work Executive at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. SAMS’s focus is to provide personalized, supportive services to families, caregivers and survivors at the end of a Veteran’s life and ensures Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service.

Duties

• MAJOR DUTIES Program Administration
• 60% With minimal supervisory oversight, the position: Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits.
• Helps 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.
• Refers surviving relatives with specific benefit inquiries to a VBA point of contact, not the toll-free telephone number.
• Informs 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 (unclaimed remains) are provided a dignified funeral and burial at VA (contract or purchase order) 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.
• Collaborate with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), 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 disposition 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.
• Data & Quality Management
• 20% With minimal supervisory oversight, the position: 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.
• 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.
• 10% The position collaborates with Fiscal office to financially support SAMS operations.
• Assesses past budget requirements, projects future budget needs, submits budget requests and manages program budget.
• Serves as the fund control point clerk, purchase card official and Contracting Officer Representative for SAMS contracts.
• Personnel Management -10% The position participates in facility initiatives relating to No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA).
• Partners with staff and leadership to identify needs and opportunities throughout facility.
• Provides general education, training and resources about SAMS to staff throughout the hospital, community living centers (CLC) and community who provide support to Veterans at end-of-life and to their family and NOK.
• Collaborates with the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement to recruit, train, schedule and oversee volunteers at the facility and CLC.
• Work Schedule: Monday
• Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Virtual: This is Not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist
• Survivor Assistant & Memorial Support Specialist (SAMSS)/PD25112A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

• You must be a U.S.
• Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
• In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment.
• The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.
• A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of
• Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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
• Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

Applicants may substitute Education for the required Experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level, you must have a Master’s or equivalent graduate degreeOR2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.B. or J.D. in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the Program Specialist-Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support Program. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/. OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise “To care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors” – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans? The Washington DC VA Medical Center, located within sight of the Nation’s Capitol, is the only health care system that specifically provides care to Veterans. Offering tertiary care in a Complexity Level IA hospital, allows ours staff to provide comprehensive primary and specialty care in medicine, surgery, neurology and psychiatry. The medical center has 175 acute care beds, 30 Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Treatment beds, and a 20-suite Fisher House. Also, the medical center is home to an adjacent 120-bed Community Living Center which provides Veterans with geriatric long-term care, hospice and palliative care. The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence (“I CARE”). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

Required Documents

• To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
• 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 make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former
• Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans
• Preference claims, or
• ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced
• Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information. Cover Letter Resume Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript
• SF-50, Notification of Personnel
• Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or
• Eligibility): Most recent
• SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An
• SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent
• SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional
• SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate
• SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
• Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
• SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible
• Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor
• Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your
• DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).
• If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable,
• General, etc.), and dates of impending separation.
• Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible
• Veterans) must also submit an
• SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran
• Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on
• Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets
• 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.
• It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
• 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.
• Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion.
• The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement.
• Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.