Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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
• 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 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities 1.Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation - negotiation - and monitoring
• 2
• Knowledge and ability to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines for the program
• 3
• Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program
• 4
• Skill in organizing work - setting priorities - meeting multiple deadlines - and evaluating assigned program area(s)
• 5
• Ability to provide training - orientation - and guidance within clinical practice
• References: VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 - Veterans Health Administration - dated September 10 - 2019
• Driver's License: Candidate must have a current state issued driver's license
• 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service

Duties

• Major duties include but not limited to: Meets with judges - officers of the court - correctional administrators and staff on a regular basis to design and/or maintain appropriate policies and procedures required for each setting
• Attends justice system staff trainings relevant to working with offenders and high risk populations and represents the VA at community meetings - seeking or maintaining membership on relevant boards - councils and task forces
• Collaborates with other Justice Outreach clinicians to support engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from correctional institutions
• Contacts include providers who serve Veterans by contract or formal agreement with the VA - government staff - social - financial - legal - health and mental health agencies - Veterans and/or their families/relatives - Veterans' conservators - friends - employers - landlords - police - attorneys - judges - and probation and parole officers
• Conducts justice-related staff development programs for mental health and other program staff - and provides opportunities for staff to update their mental health professional knowledge and practice skills
• Provides training and guidance to entry level staff and graduate students
• Advanced clinical training - insight and experience is utilized to interpret data and identify viable treatment options
• Assesses high risk factors - acuity - and the need for services
• Ability to serve Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises - lack family or an adequate community support network - be poor at self-monitoring - frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment - or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support
• Identifies and interviews justice-involved Veterans in the appropriate setting to conduct needs assessment and determine appropriate referrals - linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance function in the community - including in transition from jail or prison
• establishes a relationship with correctional medical and psychiatric leadership and personnel - where appropriate - to ensure continuity of care and for appropriate back-up - if needed - when encountering Veterans in a correctional institution
• The Justice Outreach Social Worker may perform work in maximum - medium - or minimum security correctional institutions usually under a \"no hostage\" policy
• Observes established VA safety precautions while working in correctional facilities and/or in community settings
• The work environment may involve unclean settings
• There is ongoing exposure to individuals with psychiatric and physical illness and disabilities - which can include acute infections - violent or aggressive behavior - or chronic psychiatric and medical problems
• provides referral and linkage to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits - as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs
• Participates in development of a treatment plan for each Veteran contacted through outreach
• Conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse - psychiatric illness - and social needs as treatment issues
• Assists the Veteran in services stabilization by consulting and intervening when problems arise with service providers and assists in priority management/pace of services/integration of Veteran in program with Veteran and program staff by participating in treatment team meetings
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday Telework: This position is eligible for Ad-Hoc telework EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@VA.GOV - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required