Summary

The social worker in this position functions as the Medical Center's Grant and Per Diem Liaison/Case Manager for VA's Health Care for Homeless Veterans Programs - Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program. The social worker is responsible for monitoring and coordination of services provided by community-based programs funded under VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• 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
• Examples of specialized experience at the GS-11 include - but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• use of clinical social work skills
• maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies - handbooks or directives
• acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members - identifying the patient's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• 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: Must have LCSW (advanced clinical license)
• Must have valid driver's license
• Experience working with homeless and/or seriously mentally ill and/or substance abusing adults strongly preferred
• Experience in program oversight and management preferred
• 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
• Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies
• Applicants must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands - exercise patience - and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others
• Position requires walking throughout the clinic and the Medical Center - standing for extended periods of time - and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams
• Position will require travel into the community to meet with representatives from other community-based hospitals - service agencies - and referring sources for education regarding the identified programs
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing
• viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Major Duties: Provides case management at GPD funded sites as described in the GPD program rules - regulations - and directives
• Monitors the clinical care and assesses the compliance of the programs receiving per diem as described in the grant recipient's original grant application
• When necessary - the social worker intervenes to facilitate compliance or corrective actions and - when appropriate - develops - facilitates and monitors plans of correction
• Provides services and oversight of the GPD funded programs as defined in the GPD rules - regulations - and directives including verification of Veteran status and eligibility for participation in the GPD Program - maintaining admission and discharge dates of participants for billing purposes - reviewing and approving/disapproving readmissions to and extensions of care - and collecting and submitting participant information as outlined by NEPEC evaluations procedures
• Coordinates and participates in program site inspections in accordance with the GPD Program rules - regulations - and directives as guidance and forwards completed inspection packages to the appropriate offices
• When necessary - the social worker notes inspection deficiencies and establishes methods to monitor corrective actions
• Engages in coordination with community agencies - organizations - and groups to learn of services or resources available for homeless Veterans as well as provides current information on services and benefits available in the VA for Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program participants
• Complies with conflict of interest laws and Executive Branch Standards of conduct so as to avoid conflicts of interest while serving as the GPD Liaison/Case Manager
• Participates in Medical Center research by identifying questions and trends that should be studied as a basis toward improving aspects of social service and/or physical or mental health care delivery to Veterans as well as devising and carrying out studies designed to test appropriate hypotheses
• Participates in program planning and development - advising the supervisor of shifting trends with caseloads and identifying the need for and making recommendations on program procedure or policy changes based upon work experiences
• Participates in the orientation/teaching of graduate social work students - students of other disciplines - and medical center personnel on the biopsychosocial aspects of homelessness
• Performs accountability functions: 1) document all contacts with patients/families in the medical charts
• 2) completes statistical - administrative - staffing studies and all other reports in accordance with VA Medical Center and respective professional discipline service policies
• Works with VA Medical Center multi-disciplinary teams and community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services to Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program Veterans
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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)
• 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: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: PD24054F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized