Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees and current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Functions of assigned duties, but not limited to the following:

Administrative/Supervisory (40%)

• Broad program management responsibilities which includes the operation of PCT programs across all of CTVHCS.
• Develop and implement programs, policies and procedures, and monitor outcomes/performance measures that apply to the clinic.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team that includes psychologists, physicians, physician extenders, social workers, nurses, and other health care professionals and trainees.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the treatment team, with the approval of the affiliated Service Chief.
• Conducts ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects that monitor the effectiveness of clinical operations within their respective program(s).
• Organizes and leads team meetings in order to facilitate case disposition, care management, effective delivery of clinical interventions, and the adherence to administrative demands.
• Ensures timely access to care of patients assigned to the team
• Provides clinical supervision, as appropriate.
• Provides leadership in hiring of new staff members for the team.
• Resolves conflicts among team members and adjudicates complaints.
• Ensures that appropriate coverage is arranged for patient care responsibilities.
• Initiates performance awards for outstanding employees and completes administrative paperwork.
• Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings.
• Participates in the MHBM Service competency review process (OPPE and FPPE).
• Provides consultation, direct patient care, educational, training, research, and performance improvement activities.
• Serves as the first line supervising authority.
• Collaborates with MH&BM management in the strategic planning.
• Provides technical advice and assistance regarding all Psychology program areas in support of management and mission accomplishment.
• Ensures that Psychologists in the facility meet the requirements of the Psychologist Qualification Standards.
• Oversees and participates as needed in the selection of candidates for assigned vacancies.
• Assures that functional statements or position descriptions for staff positions under their supervision are accurate and updated.
• Participates, encourages, and supports assigned staff participation in local, state, and national Psychology associations and organizations.
• Consults with others to offer research guidance and to stimulate new research directions.
• Ensures that the areas under their responsibility are in compliance with accreditation requirements for VA, Joint Commission, CARF and other required regulatory guidelines.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the SAIL performance measures (e.g., new patient access) assigned to MH&BM.
• Other administrative and clinical duties as assigned.

Direct Patient Care Functions (60%):

• Provides evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy to veterans with complex mental health problems, especially as regards to adaptation and rehabilitation.
• Participates as a member of medical center hospital committees as directed.
• Maintains appropriate records and follow-up data on patients who are their responsibility.
• Serves as a member of the planning group for evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment program and modifying it to better serve the needs of the patient.
• Complies with national and local performance measures.
• Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures.
• Other clinical duties as assigned.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Ad-Hoc Telework only.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN17EDRP2@va.gov, 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)

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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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/.
• Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.]

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 the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-13

Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates 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. Advanced practice level social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which includes an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB. Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/.

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

(a) Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility.
(b) Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive.
(c) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
(d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
(e) 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.
(f) 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.
(g) Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations.


Preferred Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience (including training) in VHA.
• Prior leadership experience (formal or informal) within a VHA setting.
• Knowledge and experience with performance measures and external accreditation standards (i.e., CARF, Joint Commission)
• Experience in direct administrative supervision and personnel management.
• Experience with program development, program evaluation, and program improvement.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 13.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Functional Requirements: Individuals, including wage-grade drivers, title 5, title 38, and hybrid title 38 employees or volunteers who are required to operate a government owned or leased vehicle to successfully carry out their assigned duties must be medically cleared prior to appointment (positions that require a CDL are covered under a separate OF-178).Assessment must be made for any acute or chronic medical/physical condition or medication use which interferes with the ability operate the appropriate Government-owned or -leased vehicle safely and without undue risk to themselves or others. The following requirements must be met:

• distant vision 20/40 in one eye with or without correction,
• field of vision 70 degrees,
• ability to distinguish red, green and amber,
• whispered voice at five feet, or average hearing loss of not greater than 40 dbs. at 500, 1000 and 2,000 Hz.

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.