Career Center

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. 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. Licensure. 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/. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Grade 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.(b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.(c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.(d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).(e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: Develops systems to identify SCI patients served by the facility and community who belong in this special disability group. This may involve use of the Patient Treatment File searches, VISTA and CPRS records, SCD reports and/or Classification reports, Patient Data Exchange, Network Health Exchange, and contacts within the community. This developed system alerts the SCI Coordinator of admissions or outpatient appointments of veterans receiving care anywhere within the facility for appropriate SCI consultation and potential referral to an SCI Center. Serves as the point of contact for inquiries regarding the SCI program. This may include stakeholders (e.g., veterans, families, community hospitals and nursing homes, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and other Veterans Service Organizations), Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Strategic Healthcare Group (SCI&D, SHG) and Congressional inquiries. Promotes and coordinates annual evaluations within the SCI Center and appropriate SCI Outpatient Clinics. Prepares SCI program reports for the SCI Center hub, SCI Support Clinic, the SCI & D Strategic Healthcare Group in VA Central Office, Congress, and other stakeholders. Develops a procedure for referrals between the SCI Center and local VA and/or community hospitals and facilitates appropriate and timely inter-facility transfers. Establishes performance standards for the SCI program that promote quality and efficiency in service to the veterans in coordination with the overall goals of the medical center and national Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI&D) program. Develops policy and procedures to ensure compliance with JC and CARF, and other accrediting bodies and regulatory standards as needed. Investigates community resources (local, state, and national) that are available to provide continuity of care and to enhance the quality of life of the veteran. Disseminates information on resources throughout the VISN. Explores and analyzes long term care placement options in the community, i.e., assisted living facilities, nursing homes, handicapped accessible housing, and state veterans' homes. Identifies unmet needs of the SCI population and works collaboratively with the VHA Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care and community agencies to develop and implement solutions. Develops a data driven continuous quality improvement program with established goals and outcomes to evaluate and document the program's effectiveness. Develops and implements social work treatment plans, as part of the interdisciplinary treatment plans that reflect an ability to effectively utilize a broad range of treatment modalities. Provides individual, family, and group counseling aimed at helping the veteran and his family find practical solutions to complex problems. Advocates on behalf of the veteran to ensure that services and benefits are obtained in a timely manner and in keeping with the VA's goal for excellence in customer service. Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with SCI veterans and their families. Refers veterans to other organizations and community resources (i.e., housing alternatives personal care services, transportation resources, etc. or other VA governmental resources) for services not available from the VHA facility. Provide supervisory oversight of CLC Social Workers with responsibility for performance evaluations, addressing performance and conduct issues and following all VA regulations regarding supervision of employees. Assist with the recruitment and orientation of CLC Social Workers. Support CLC efforts on productivity optimization, workload capture, sustainable staffing and quality improvement. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0730-1600 or 0800-1630; compressed tour may be an option for highly qualified candidate Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Stacy.Hermann@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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