Clarification from the agency

Open to Current, Permanent, VISN 22 - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Employees Only. This includes VISN 22, Long Beach VA, San Diego VA, Greater Los Angeles VA, Loma Linda VA , Phoenix VA , Southern Arizona , Northern Arizona , and New Mexico VA Health Care System Employees.

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

The Supervisory Social Worker (Program Coordinator) involves significant recommendations/ decisions which have a direct and substantial effect on the delivery of RRTP services throughout the Network, its facilities, and related programs.

Major duties include, but not limited to:

• Develops, implements, and leads the Network RRTP CST to effectively accomplish goals, focus on stakeholder needs, ensure and maintain quality, and accomplish mission and vision.
• Coordinates centralized screening via one consult for all Network MH RRTPs.
• Maintains full supervisory and managerial responsibilities - including hiring, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, and task assignment.
• Oversees and manages the day to-day operations of CST staff supporting RRTP screenings.
• Approves all staff time and leave requests, plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, assigns work to subordinates, and evaluates work performance.
• Assures reasonable equity of performance standards and rating techniques across supervisees when conducting performance reviews.
• Reviews and assesses residential care coordination across multiple Network sites of care.
• Collaborates with Veterans Transportation Service managers to reduce barriers.
• Collaborates with Network Clinical Leadership such as, Primary Care, Specialty Care, Surgery, Extended Care & Rehabilitation, Imaging, Pathology, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Telehealth, Clinical Resource Hub, and Clinical Contact Center.
• Leads the CST through strategic planning, program implementation, customer focus, and team-based management to create internal program policies and programs to meet RRTP program objectives and goals.
• Conducts screenings, evaluations, and consultation of specific features of Centralized Screening.
• Provides clinical consultation to various disciplines and levels of training within Network mental health, suicide prevention, and homeless programs.
• Provides leadership, guidance, and consultation on staff education and development for a broad array of mental health topics.
• Presents reports, findings, and recommendations in support of Centralized Screening to the Network Mental Health ICC.
• Provides feedback and recommendations to Network leadership that reflect current standards and expectations provided by VHA.
• Manages completion of all program evaluations and documents required on behalf of the Network and VHA, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission.
• Monitoring MH RRTP performance measures, tracking results, and recommending Network-wide systems/procedures for success with these measures.
• Develops strong, proactive working relationships with the VHA Offices of Mental Health (OMH), Suicide Prevention (OSP), Homeless Programs (HPO), and their program officials.
• Develops and maintains a collaborative relationship with mental health stakeholders (i.e. DoD, Community partners) to ensure timely admissions and efficient care coordination occurs.
• Collaborates with the CMHO to monitor compliance with MH RRTP standards for all MH RRTP programs within the Network.
• Ensures regularly scheduled meetings between the CST and facility RRTPs occur.
• Coordinates/influences the development of new, innovative integrated service delivery including of a broad array of residential care services across a large geographic area.
• Participates in Network-level performance improvement activities as it relates to the care for Veterans receiving RRTP services.
• Makes recommendations to the Network Director, CNO, and CMHO based on resource utilization, gap analyses, and past productivity.
• Interacts with facility Service Chiefs and MH RRTP leadership to facilitate and coordinate local, Network, and national priorities.
• Provides authoritative information for professional and non-professional audiences and serves as a resource consultant and mentor for RRTP staff across the Network.
• Provides fair, principled, and decisive leadership for a work environment that promotes shared accountability.
• Serves on local, regional, and national RRTP councils, committees, and/or workgroups as needed.
• Provides administrative back-up and coverage to the CMHO during absences.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience Coordinating a complex program(s) across multiple areas or systems.
• Excellent Customer Service experience/Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and presentation skills.
• No less than two years of supervisory experience.

Work Schedule: Saturday - Wednesday, 8- Hour Shift may begin by 7:00 a.m. and end no later than 7:00 p.m. Your Current Time.
Compressed/Flexible:Available.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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 trial period.
• 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 dentification 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).

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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Social Worker 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: In addition to basic requirements, you must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.
The social work program manager at the GS-13 grade level must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: Serving as the sole practitioner in a specialty program and typically provide direct patient care services in the program area; oversees the daily operation of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics; 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; provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency.

Licensure: Must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility.
• Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive.
• Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; and selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action.
• Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
• Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations.

Assignment: 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. At this grade level, social worker program coordinators oversee the administrative and clinical aspects of a major specialty treatment program, such as, but not limited to: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Home-Based Primary Care, Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Caregiver Support Program or Transition and Care Management Program, or a combination of programs located at one facility or multiple divisions of a facility. They are responsible for coordinating interdisciplinary staffing, work assignments, budget, treatment services provided, and admission criteria 19 for the program. The program coordinator may or may not have supervisory responsibilities. They have full responsibility for all phases of service delivery for a major specialty program. The program coordinator is responsible for the program's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds. They are administratively responsible for the programming and operations of the program assigned, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. Program coordinators provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned staff. They initiate and conduct program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity. Program coordinators 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 effort.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience Coordinating a complex program(s) across multiple areas or systems.
• Excellent Customer Service experience/Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and presentation skills.
• No less than two years of supervisory experience, but not required.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The Full Performance Level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. The incumbent works in an office which is adequately heated, lighted, and ventilated. Requires some travel.

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.