---

Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Social Worker Program Coordinator-Medical Foster Home/Home Based Primary Care Near Sioux Falls, SD

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/.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
• 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. 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. Applicants must meet the requirements for providing supervision in the state where they are licensed at the advanced practice level and should list these qualifications within the assessment narrative and their resume. Documentation is required if part of your state's requirements for providing supervision for licensure is beyond your licensure only (example: certification of continuing education credits).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (document with written demonstration of KSAs must be included with application, see required documents section):
  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.

Preferred Experience: Home Care, Community Based cares

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Daily intermittent walking, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, and carrying of lightweight items required. Rigid deadlines and need for high degree of accuracy periodically becomes stressful. Driving a government vehicle. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Responsibilities:

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

The incumbent serves veterans within the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System who tend to have serious, frequent, and severe crises, lack of family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fails to comply with instructions and treatments, have significant deficits in coping skills, and require continuing psychosocial and medical support. Medical Foster Care, in combination with medical management from Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), offers an option for veterans and families that is an alternative to institutionalization. It is affordable and very acceptable to veterans and their families and friends. The Medical Foster Home Coordinator will also provide cross coverage for the Contract Nursing Home Coordinator and other duties as assigned within their scope of practice. The Medical Foster Home Coordinator also serves as the social worker for the HBPC Program at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS) and provides assessment and case management for veterans enrolled in this program.

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• The overall function of the Medical Foster Home Program at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System. The incumbent is in charge of program development, recruitment, and development of the foster homes, recruitment and placement of veteran residents, case management, development of policies and care processes, and coordination with HBPC interdisciplinary treatment teams.
• Selecting of homes and residents, establishes intake processes, establishes oversight responsibilities, and maintains a record-keeping system for the program.
• Marketing the model of care and reaches out to community groups and agencies to promote the foster care program. Incumbent serves as a mentor to other VA MFH program coordinators, social workers, and other interested health care providers.
• Providing training to caregivers, students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a medical foster home. Topics include but are not limited to caregiver and family issues and the impact of psychosocial issues and problems of the veteran in a medical foster home.
• The work may require assisting physically disabled veterans.
• The program coordinator receives and completes consults from interdisciplinary teams and other social workers on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise.
• The program coordinator interviews and conducts psychosocial assessments; interviews veteran and family members and/or significant others to establish facts about the veteran's unique situation; presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veterans functioning and health as a part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment; assesses high risk factors, acuity and need for services. The social worker interprets and explains VA treatment and benefit programs.
• Develops psychosocial treatment plans in collaboration with HBPC interdisciplinary team, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the veteran's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance, makes initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals.
• The program coordinator is experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans to maintain the veteran in a medical foster home. In the event of an alleged abuse case, medical or psychiatric emergency, the protocol of the Sioux Falls VA HCS and/or medical center policy will be followed.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary