Job Listing
Program Specialist
Veterans Health Administration · Posted 62 days ago
On-site Hines, IL $54K – $90K Apply by Jul 27, 2026 Miscellaneous Administration And Program ENTJESFJESTJISTJ
Apply for this job → About the Role
This position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program and is organizationally aligned under Social Work Service at the Edward Hines Je. VA Hospital, Hines IL (578). SAMS's focus is to provide personalized, supportive services to families, caregivers, and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensure Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service.
What You'll Do
- →Program Administration 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.
- →Refers surviving relatives with specific benefit inquiries to a VBA point of contact, not the toll-free telephone number.
- →Reviews daily death notifications.
- →Submits completed death certificates to designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office.
- →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.
- →Collaborates with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Pharmacy and Prosthetics to cancel all appointments to include orders.
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 is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.
- ✓Routinely views the body and/or remains of deceased Veterans at funeral homes using an authorized vehicle.
- ✓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 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- ✓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.
Personality Fit
Job ID: 1da71b90-5472-44ca-b659-607baef61200
Posted via USAJobs