Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

01Basic Requirements

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

02Education

Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work.

Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

03Licensure

Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment.

Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

04Grade Determinations

Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.

Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Licensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).

Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Program coordinators at the GS-12 grade level are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a major specialty area, such as but not limited to: Spinal Cord Injury, Homeless Continuum Veteran Program, Hospice and Palliative Care Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing Home Program.

The program coordinator may be the sole practitioner in this specialty at the facility and typically provide direct patient care services in the program area. The program coordinator oversees the daily operation of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use.

They may be responsible for the program's budget, developing and monitoring staff compliance with practice, standards and guidelines on documentation, workload, data entry, ethical practice and service delivery. The program coordinator provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service.

They may be responsible for, or contribute to, the program's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds. The program coordinator is administratively responsible for the clinical programming and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use.

They provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned staff. They initiate and conduct a variety of program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity assessments.

They oversee program operations and evaluations, identifying areas for improvement, gathering relevant data, assessing the data, developing and implementing ideas for improvement and evaluating efficacy of improvement efforts.

05Preferred Experience

Specialized experience in Geriatrics and Program Coordination is preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

06Physical Requirements

Light lifting, under 15 pounds, walking, standing and operation of motor vehicle.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Travel regularly within the Mann-Grandstaff catchment area to provide services and fulfill assigned duties. Drive a personal or government vehicle to VA sites, community partners, and other care locations as needed. Complete occasional travel assignments that may require up to three hours of travel each way. Report suspected child, adult, or elder abuse in accordance with federal law, VHA policy, and state requirements.

Document social work interventions, assessments, and activities in the patient's medical record. Ensure appropriate care coordination and handoff during patient transitions. Participate in committees, discipline-specific meetings, and service initiatives. Provide supervision, training, orientation, or mentorship to social work interns and less experienced social workers. Participate in urgent care on-call rotations, including weekend coverage, as assigned.

• Coordinate daily operations of Purchased Care Services (PCS) programs and ensure compliance with VA policies and procedures.
• Review consults to determine Veteran eligibility for PCS programs and services.
• Conduct assessments to determine appropriate levels of care and service needs.
• Process consults, initiate Standard Episodes of Care (SEOC), and coordinate required authorizations.
• Collaborate with the Office of Veteran Community Care (VCC), community providers, and VA staff to ensure timely service delivery.

Complete reauthorizations and reassessments to maintain appropriate care and support for Veterans. Monitor program performance and implement quality improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and patient outcomes. Develop and track quality indicators and evaluate service delivery improvements. Recruit community service providers and assist with establishing contracts for home health, home health aide, respite care, and related services.

Educate staff regarding PCS eligibility criteria, program requirements, and policy updates. Coordinate with VCC to address billing and invoicing issues and maintain community partnerships. Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments of Veterans and their families. Evaluate clinical, social, and environmental factors to identify patient strengths, needs, and service options. Develop individualized treatment plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary care team.

• Maintain effective relationships with Veterans, caregivers, family members, and community agencies.
• Monitor patient progress and modify care plans as needed to achieve treatment goals.
• Provide supportive counseling to Veterans and caregivers coping with chronic illness, disability, catastrophic illness, end-of-life issues, grief, and loss.
• Assist patients and families in accessing appropriate resources and services.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday Thru Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected]. the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

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) 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 #:000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO):