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This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more 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). Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. Grade Determination: GS-12 Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Experience/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: 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, sitting, talking, use of fingers, both hands required, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Hearing (aid permitted). ["**This is an open continuous announcement - qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager(s) at least every 2 weeks.** Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 00870F\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for highly qualified candidates\nEDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required This position serves as a Social Worker, Program Coordinator, in the Mental Health Clinic (MHC), a multi-disciplinary team within Mental Health Service. The incumbent functions as a Care Coordinator for Veterans on a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team and is responsible for coordination and continuity of care for Veterans receiving services throughout the Mental Health Service (MHS). Incumbent is independently licensed and provides the following services: coordination of care for Veterans transitioning levels of care, ensuring continuity of care for Veterans receiving community care and/or services at other VA Medical Centers, completing biopsychosocial assessments, providing individual and group therapy, case management, crisis intervention and advocacy services. The incumbent is a Care Coordinator assigned to the Mental Health Clinic at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System. The incumbent is responsible for providing care coordination services including but not limited to biopsychosocial assessment, walk-in/crisis services, education, provision of self-management resources, determining and monitoring care coordination needs over time, providing care coordination, and facilitating follow-up and outreach as needed to promote proactive, personalized care and care continuity. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to: Coordinates care including serving as an advocate on behalf of the Veterans in the MHC BHIP teams to ensure delivery of comprehensive, seamless MH service. Participates in program planning and development, advising supervisor of shifting trends with care coordination needs and caseloads and identifying the need for making recommendations on program procedures and/or policy changes based upon work experiences. Takes responsibility for improving professional skills, participating in planning and executing specific staff development projects, attending seminars and institutes, and participating in training programs. Provide a full range of services within commonly accepted standards of practice and prioritizes care coordination activities as the primary job function [e.g., needs assessment, chart reviews, care or case management (as needed), discharge planning, outreach, etc.] and other services as appropriate. Provide care coordination (including care management or case management) to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care. This includes communication within and across care lines to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans. Conduct biopsychosocial assessments to determine care coordination and treatment needs of Veterans. Provide consultation/education to Veterans and families on VA resources (including self-management tools), community resources, Advance Directives and VA benefits. Active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines. Participate 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 to promote care continuity. Act as a clinical resource/point-of-contact to Veterans and other team/staff members. Act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include education and bidirectional communication that promotes seamless care. Not a core function of this position, there may be times when the incumbent may provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate. Provide wellness/prevention education and may facilitate patient/family educational/bridging supportive sessions as appropriate. Document interventions and activities in patient's electronic health record and ensure appropriate hand-off communication and documentation when transferring patient care. Maintain familiarity and share responsibility with other team members for performance measures relevant to the MHC team. Perform other MHC-related duties as directed by the Supervisor, such as, but not limited to: training/mentoring and oversight of new staff and those not yet clinically licensed, preparing for and training staff on CARF and The Joint Commission standards and accreditation process, and participating in the peer review process. Participate in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager. Other duties as assigned by management."]