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Social Worker (Program Coordinator) - Veterans Justice Outreach

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Provides psychosocial assessments, case management services, continuous quality improvement activities, evaluation/consultation, placement services, and referral and linkage to various community agencies for Veterans who are within 6 months of release from correctional institutions and/or are being monitored by the courts, including treatment or problem solving courts. Administratively responsible for clinical and daily operation of the program, as well as the management of program data.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
04/01/2021 to 04/09/2021
Salary
$77,488 - $100,739 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Clarksburg, WV
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
75% or less - Local travel required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBTF-11078877-21-AK-GROUP E
Control number
597139200

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Duties

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PLEASE VIEW ANNOUNCEMENT DIRECTLY FROM WWW.USAJOBS.GOV. PAY ATTENTION TO HIRING PATH CLARIFICATION, REQUIREMENTS SECTION, AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SECTION.

  • Meets with judges, officers of the court, correctional administrators and staff on a regular basis to design and/or maintain appropriate policies and procedures required for each setting.
  • Attends justice system staff trainings relevant to working with offenders and high risk populations and represents the VA at community meetings, seeking or maintaining membership on relevant boards, councils and task forces.
  • Collaborates with other Justice Outreach clinicians to support engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from correctional institutions.
  • Conducts justice-related staff development programs for mental health and other program staff, and provides opportunities for staff to update their mental health professional knowledge and practice skills.
  • Identifies and interviews incarcerated Veterans at each institution to conduct pre-release needs assessment and determine appropriate post-release referrals, linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance the transition from jail to the community.
  • Offers VA and non-VA treatment options for Veterans involved in the criminal justice system in order to provide Veterans with treatment that the VA provides, or that is available in the community, that is appropriate for each situation.
  • Provides incarcerated Veterans information on VA services and community resources.
  • Coordinates Veteran care with all VA programs as well as non-VA community programs and resources.
  • Completes and documents assessment of psychosocial factors (history/current/anticipated), including: Veteran and VA status; physical, mental health, substance abuse, and disability status; financial (including child support and other debts) and employment status; housing status; family and marital status; re-entry cognitive status, and legal status.
  • Uses appropriate channels to request and make use of mental health, substance abuse, medical, medication, housing, employment, and other pertinent information from the correctional institution and probation officers including behavioral safety risk information in completing reentry assessment and planning activity.
  • Contacts correctional staff responsible for reentry planning and provides input into diversion or post-release plan; advises Veteran and reentry staff re: VA services and VA access to non-VA services; contacts the assigned community corrections officer.
  • Contacts appropriate community, other governmental (e.g. U.S. Department of Labor) and VA (VHA, VBA, Vet Center, and NCA) services to determine if Veteran meets program requirements and eligibility, arranges program admission/placement at diversion or release, and initially accompanies Veteran to service provider if needed.
  • As necessary, will advocate for appropriate medication evaluation, and the transition for receiving medical and/or psychiatric care between institutions.
  • Promotes effective use of VA services by coordinating and documenting mental and physical health screenings (e.g. for depression, PTSD, substance abuse, and chronic or infectious medical problems including HIV and HIV risk behavior, and Hepatitis C) upon release to facilitate access to appropriate VA medical, mental health, substance abuse and social services.
  • Coordinates overall care of the diversion or reentry Veteran during the transition into VA services and in the post-release period; in conjunction with other involved case managers, serves as an advocate on behalf of Veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery, and links and refers Veterans to the VA Medical Center, VA Regional Offices, and/or community agencies.
  • Assist in the development and implementation of Veterans' Courts in the service area.
  • Assists the Veteran in services stabilization by consulting and intervening when problems arise with service providers and assists in priority management/pace of services/integration of Veteran into programs with the Veteran and program staff by participating in treatment team meetings.
  • Assists the Veteran in contact with correctional, probation officer, problem solving with Veteran and probation, and advocating for Veteran with probation officer when appropriate.
  • Reviews, encourages, and reinforces adaptive coping with criminal recidivism risk behavior and attitudes.
  • Assists in diversion and reentry orientation sessions in residential care settings.
  • Identifies and intervenes in crises experienced by the Veteran during the community stabilization period.
  • Trains Veterans and Veteran support system in the maintenance of case management activity.
  • Participates in Social Work weekend coverage as necessary.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to a background/security investigation
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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 (MSW) 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.
  • Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. For this grade level, applicants must be licensed at the advanced practice level.
  • English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoke and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12
Experience/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:
1. Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
2. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
3. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
4. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
5. Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.

References: VA Handbook 5005/23, Part II, Appendix G39

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Use of fingers; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Hearing (aid permitted); Clear Speech. The environment involves everyday risks and discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of offices, patient rooms, and in general, the medical center. It also involves normal risks associated with a medical center, including exposure to contagious diseases and disturbed patients.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application. Must clearly show it is an *official copy. *Can be a personal copy, if selected you will be required to provide official sealed copy from school to credentialing office.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan" - 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 care to Veterans?

The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center is located in Clarksburg, West Virginia and serves a veteran population of approximately 70,000 in north central West Virginia and adjacent counties in Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center provides primary care and basic mental health services at four CBOCs. The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center is located on a 16-acre site adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Park and the West Virginia State Nursing Home in the city of Clarksburg, West Virginia. Clarksburg is at the crossroads of U.S. Route 50 (Corridor D), the main arterial route for Clarksburg, and Interstate 79. Other major highways include West Virginia Route 20, West Virginia Route 58, U.S. Route 19, and West Virginia Route 98.

Agency contact information

Annetta Kellner
Phone
304-263-0811 X2357
Email
ANNETTA.KELLNER@VA.GOV
Address
Louis A Johnson VA Medical Center
1 Medical Center Drive
Clarksburg, WV 26301
US

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