Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current qualified, full-time employees of the federal government. First consideration may be given to current employees of the hiring Agency and/or Facility employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties include but are not limited to the following:

Social Work and ICMHR/ERANGE (70%):

• Screening/Assessment: Develop a psychosocial assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others. Work within the interdisciplinary treatment team, share in the development of a treatment plan with the veteran based on this psychosocial assessment. Initial assessment and reassessments will be completed as specified by the policy for the assigned work area.
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting: Responsible for contributing to the development of the treatment plan and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran and family/ caregiver and other clinical staff
• Referral to service providers: Serve as subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources. Responsible for educating the veteran and caregivers of the available services and assisting in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veteran's preference or that of surrogate decision-maker
• Resource Usage/Development: Use current Social Work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of veterans. The Social Worker will refer the veteran to needed services
• Advocacy: When appropriate and feasible, educate and encourage the veteran to advocate on his/her own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment
• Crisis Intervention: Make independent rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for admission to mental health inpatient programs. In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency, staff will follow the protocol of his/her respective mental health clinic and the facility
• Education/Health promotion and prevention: Provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans and family members/caregiver to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member
• Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services: Review progress notes from other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each veteran enrolled in BHIP services
• Psychotherapy: Provide the veterans and their family members/caregiver with ongoing therapy as needed and/or appropriate.
• Discharge/Aftercare planning: Collaborate with multidisciplinary treatment team and appropriate hospital clinical staff to assist veteran and their family members/caregiver in planning for discharge/aftercare.
• Participate in on-call rotation

MHTC 2.0 TASK (30%):

• Provide a full range of services and prioritizes care coordination activities as the primary job function [e.g., needs assessment, chart reviews, care or case management (as needed), outreach, etc.] as appropriate.
• Responsible for reviewing the BHIP Care Coordination dashboard.
• Responsible for completing local and national reports for the MHTC 2.0 program.
• Conduct biopsychosocial assessments to determine care coordination and treatment needs.
• Active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
• Act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include education and bidirectional communication that promotes seamless care.
• Document interventions and activities in patient's EHR and ensure appropriate hand-off communication and documentation when transferring patient care.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
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)
Telework: Ad-hoc according to Agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 517-260505-F
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.
• 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).
• 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/.
• 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:

Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12

• 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.

Preferred Experience: Mental Health Experience Preferred

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

Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, standing, bending, and carrying such items as books, papers, and files. In carrying out responsibilities, it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where they conduct interviews with the Veterans, their families, representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. The incumbent must possess a current Driver's License and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary.

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.