The Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program provides 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.
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Social Worker - Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) provides consultation on the administrative and clinical considerations of the Decedent Affairs/SAMS Program, and is responsible for carrying out the following SAMS Program administrative functions, including, but not limited to: Benefits Counseling and Family Support Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits.
Helps Veterans and NOK prearrange burial, interment, or cremation, as desired by the 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.
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. Provides supportive counseling and grief/bereavement support to survivors during the period between death and interment. Requests that any clinical staff involved with care prior to death contact the survivor within 24 hours of the pronouncement of death.
Death Notification and Documentation Reviews daily death notifications. Submits completed death certificates to the designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office. Requests death certificates from the County Registrar's Office for all external notifications of a Veteran's death and updates records. Records and transcribes providers' requests for permission from the legal next of kin or other designee by law to conduct an autopsy.
Unclaimed Remains and Burial Coordination Ensures Veterans with no relatives (unclaimed remains) are provided with a dignified funeral and burial at VA (contract or purchase order) expense. Collaborates with VA offices to locate NOK when not readily known. Personal Effects and Estate Coordination Completes required VA authorizations to release personal effects and any remaining funds in the patient's account to NOK or a designated party.
Coordinates the disposition of personal funds and effects with the Office of General Counsel for Veterans who have been adjudicated as incompetent. Care Team Coordination Collaborate with the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Pharmacy, and Prosthetics to cancel all appointments, to include orders. Palliative Care and Hospice Support May provide social work support to Veterans and families receiving inpatient Hospice or outpatient Palliative Care services.
Conducts individual psychosocial assessments and provides one-on-one supportive counseling for Veterans and families in hospice or palliative care settings. Assists Veterans and families with Advance Directives for Healthcare, including education on care preferences and Life-Sustaining Treatment decisions. Program, Education, and Community Engagement Participates in facility initiatives relating to No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA).
Partners with staff and leadership to identify needs and opportunities throughout the facility. Provides general education, training, and resources about SAMS to staff throughout the hospital, community living centers (CLC), and community members who provide support to Veterans at end-of-life and to their family and NOK.
Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:71871-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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/.
Hector.OcasioMelendez@va.gov · 385-885-4018
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $88701 – $115317/yr.
This position is eligible for telework.
Applications close on 2026-09-30.
This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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