Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to the Public. If you are a current permanent VA or Federal employee please apply to announcement CAZP-12095585-23-RLD.

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

This position is assigned to the Northern Tier, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). These clinics provide specialized Mental Health (MH) care to Veterans including psychiatric medication management, psychotherapy, mental health nursing, and same day/triage mental health access. The Mental Health Program Manager for these locations oversees and coordinates the various mental health clinical and administrative activities within the CBOCs associated with Wood, Marathon, and Clark counties. This is not a virtual position and the incumbent will be expected to split time between the Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids and Owen CBOC clinics. The incumbent provides administrative and clinical supervision, across disciplines and levels of training in support of program functions. Leads a multidisciplinary team that may include psychologists, social workers, other health care professionals and trainees. Provides leadership through formal workgroups, consultation, and supervision on program evaluation, research and quality improvement initiatives. This also includes coverage responsibilities for other MH supervisors regardless of geographic location.

Major Duties:
Clinical Functions:

• Facilitates clinical forums and case consultation for Northern Tier CBOC staff.
• Provides a full range of psychotherapy services as clinically indicated to Veterans, in accordance with established protocols and guidelines. Services may be provided through individual, family, and/or group therapy.
• Completes comprehensive mental health intake assessments with Veterans, making accurate diagnoses and treatment plans, and coordinating appropriate referrals for care within the medical center.
• Emphasis is placed on the provision of evidence-based treatments.
• Consults with CBOC staff on a wide variety of patient care issues.
• May be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities.

• Performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised that include but not limited to: maintain established guidelines and performance expectations for staff that are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system.
• Supervises a workforce that has variations in staff, e.g. highly trained and experienced staff as well as new professionals to the field and master's level student trainees. This results in substantially greater responsibility for training, adjusting work assignments, and/or maintaining a smooth flow of work while training, and releasing employees. The incumbent may provide weekly one-to-one clinical supervision to MSW's pursuing their state clinical license.
• Serves the Medical Center at large in a variety of capacities, such as committee assignments, investigations, personnel matters, and special projects. Conducts routine meetings with MH staff at the Northern CBOCs to discuss program requirements and ensure compliance with various accreditation sources.
• Briefs MH leadership orally and in writing on a regular basis concerning matters of clinical practice and compliance concerns with VA regulations in order to provide information required to make effective decisions for program planning.
• Consult with other services, program managers, or care line managers on issues pertaining to ethics, ethical dilemmas in the delivery of care, and ethical issues within the larger organization. The incumbent must demonstrate exceptional personal and professional boundaries.
• Responsible for the management of the clinical staff, which may include providing case consultation; discussing clinical, ethical, and career issues; and conducting or coordinating clinical forums for the various disciplines, to include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses and peer support specialists. Is responsible for developing and maintaining policies and procedures specific to Northern CBOC operations, in compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Responsible for oversight and completion of required suspense actions. Will provide briefing reports to local service line, facility, VISN and National leadership. The incumbent may also assist with other administrative tasks to support the MH Service Line.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position.
• 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

Basic Requirements: The following are the basic requirements and qualifications for appointment as a Social Worker in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.

Education Requirement - You must have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Note: 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. Transcripts Required

Licensure: Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Social Worker at the advanced practice level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Copy of Licensure Required.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following experience to qualify for this GS-13 Supervisory Social Worker position:

Experience 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.

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: Experience in management of Outpatient Mental Health program(s).

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 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 II-G39-19 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 efforts.]

References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standards, dated 9/10/2019.

Note: Evidence of experience, must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Please provide such documentation on your application or resume. Also, please provide work experience information such as hours per week and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish one (1) full year of experience. The requirement for this proof is specified in the "How to Apply" section of this announcement. To be credible, experience must be documented in the application and verifiable through employment references and/or other means.

*Your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answer; we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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

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.