Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open only to current employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties may include but are not limited to:

• The incumbent utilizes program coordination skills to develop and monitor administrative and clinical treatment plans for GEM Veterans.
• The incumbent oversees daily operations of the program and provides reports and metrics to facility, VISN and VACO as requested.
• The incumbent monitors the efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, and quality of services offered within this program. The incumbent is responsible for continuously improving the efficiency, effectiveness (in terms of cost and program interventions) and quality of services provided by staff. The incumbent identifies areas for improvement, gathers relevant data, assesses the data and implements ideas for improvement, and evaluates efficacy of improvements.
• The incumbent serves as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team, and as such must possess excellent interpersonal skills and be adept in the area of advocacy and negotiation within the context of an interconnected professional team of providers, Veterans and other stakeholders.
• The incumbent utilizes knowledge of resources, both within the VA and the community, to meet the identified needs of the geriatric Veteran and their families. The incumbent develops and maintains effective working relationships with key medical center staff and community agencies to enhance the scope and functioning of the geriatric program and to develop needed community support to ensure the program goals are achieved.
• The incumbent reviews and develops policies, standard operating procedures, and practice guidelines for the program. The incumbent monitors performance measures and develops action plans as needed to meet performance measures.
• The incumbent actively participates in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. The incumbent participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate.
• The incumbent provides consultation/education to medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedure.
• The incumbent provides case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care.
• The incumbent addresses Advance Directives and organ donation in accordance with the standards of their work area.
• The incumbent assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death.
• The incumbent documents social work interventions and activities in patient's electronic health record (EHR) and ensures appropriate hand off when transferring patient care.
• The incumbent assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members. The incumbent formulates a treatment plan, identifying the Veteran's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.
• The incumbent makes appropriate referrals to community and other governmental
  agencies for services.
• The incumbent independently provides counseling and/or psychotherapy services to Veterans (individual, groups and/or families).
• The incumbent provides consultation services to other staff about the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.
• The incumbent provides orientation, coaching, and supervision to social work graduate students, and those seeking clinical licensure. The incumbent has the ability to serve as a field instructor for social work graduate students who are completing VHA field placements.
• The incumbent independently evaluates his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means.
• The incumbent uses computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking, especially those programs in use by VHA.
• The incumbent follows STVHCS standard operating procedures for evaluating and mitigating suicide risk to include: Completes the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale (C-SSRS) annually or more often as indicated, the Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation, and a Safety Plan via shared template in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) on all patients at intake, with Veterans with suicidal ideation and on any Veteran whose record is flagged "High Risk for Suicide." Additionally, completes the Suicide Behavior and Overdose Report (SBOR) as clinically indicated.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm or Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Available on an Ad-hoc basis
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 55748-F
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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Physical Examination: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization.
• 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

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/.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
• 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:
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:

• 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.

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-12.

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.