Clarification from the agency

This job announcement is open to the public. If you are a current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs or other federal employee, please apply to job announcement number: CBCU-12624416-25-DMB

Videos

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Major Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• The SPC functions as a coordinator of care of veterans at high risk. Tracks high-risk patients and monitors treatment to ensure that needed services are being received.
• Completes consults from the National Suicide Hotline.
• Plays an active role in the Suicide Prevention Team by performing individual case reviews, assisting with the preparation of yearly aggregate summaries and facilitating the implementation of system improvement recommended by the Team.
• Provides training to clinical and non-clinical staff in the Medical Center, CBOCs and community about risk factors, warning signs, treatment options and resources.
• Establishes an on-going Gatekeeper Training Program with non-clinical frontline staff to ensure that they are aware of options for patients whom they come in contact with during crisis situations.
• Promotes the use of evidence-based interventions and strategies for suicide prevention in the Medical Center.
• Develops and distributes outreach materials to include brochures, fact sheets, web content and other targeted information which highlights suicide prevention, warning signs and risk factors.
• Develops and implements ongoing plan for providers, veterans, families and members of the community on risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options.
• Independently coordinates, plans, designs, implements the program, determines program goals and objectives and completes reports for the VISN or VA Central Office. Results of the work are considered technically authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change.
• Prepares and maintains administrative records, data bases and reports in accordance with VACO and local guidelines.
• Develops and monitors quality improvement measures. The incumbent formulates and implements an internal evaluation process through which progress toward goals and objectives can be objectively monitored. Implements changes based on the results of evaluations and performs impact assessments of these changes. Ensures that any required external evaluation of the program is submitted within established time frames.
• Interfaces with services throughout the medical center, including but not limited to medical providers and patient advocate, to resolve administrative and clinical problems. This includes collaboration on individual patients and the coordination of medical care within the treatment team.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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 tohttp://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.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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.
4. 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.]

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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

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.