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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a SOCIAL WORKER (PROGRAM COORDINATOR)-COMMUNITY NURSING HOME, RESPITE CARE, AND MEDICAL FOSTER HOME Near Grand Junction, CO

Qualifications:

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until March 1, 2024. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be January 11, 2024. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. ***

Basic Requirements:

-United States Citizenship
Be a citizen of the United States.

-English Language Proficiency
Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

-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/.

Grade Determinations: 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.

AND

-Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
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.

Assignments
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. Program coordinators at the GS 12 grade level are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a major specialty area, such as but not limited to: Spinal Cord Injury, Homeless Continuum Veteran Program, Hospice and Palliative Care Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing Home Program. The program coordinator may be the sole practitioner in this specialty at the facility and typically provide direct patient care services in the program area. The program coordinator oversees the daily operation of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They may be responsible for the program's budget, developing and monitoring staff compliance with practice, standards and guidelines on documentation, workload, data entry, ethical practice and service delivery. The program coordinator provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service. They may be responsible for, or contribute to, the program's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds. The program coordinator is administratively responsible for the clinical programming and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned staff. They initiate and conduct a variety of program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity assessments. They 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.

Preferred Experience: 2-3 Years of Case Management Experience

References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39

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. Social Worker 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 social worker or others. This position requires a valid state driver's license and local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans. The position requires significant travel in the community, through use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements, to meet with representatives/stakeholders who provide assistance and support to Veterans in clinics, medical centers, Community Clinics, etc. 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.

Responsibilities:

-Establishes and maintains effective working relationships and communicates with Veterans, staff, and other parties as appropriate.

• Provide technical assistance, while fostering collaborative professional relationships, with local and community partners.
• Communicate with the Veteran as well as with the entire multidisciplinary team regarding Veteran's status and/or needs.

-Utilizes knowledge of community resources, makes referrals to the community and other government agencies as appropriate, and coordinates services.

• Provide education related to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer Veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.
• Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs.

-Conducts psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds.

• Develop an assessment of the Veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, Veteran, family members and significant others.

-Provides consultation, education, and advocacy.

• Will serve as the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources.
• Educate the Veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his/her surrogate decision-maker.
• Understand the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family.
• Educate and encourage the Veteran/family to advocate on own behalf, thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.

-Utilizes a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities in treatment or with specialized Veteran populations, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy, and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the range of treatment and skills needed for all adult Veterans, including visually impaired and geriatric Veterans related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, and age associated illnesses and conditions.
• Understand the problems of advancing age and respect for the diversification of the aging Veteran population, being sensitive to human growth and development, age-appropriate needs and concerns of geriatric Veterans, and be able to provide current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population.
• Make rapid assessments and develop crisis management plans for referral/admission to mental health inpatient programs.
• Provide Veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive counseling.

-Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatment within approved clinical privileges.

• Work within the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran based on psychosocial assessment.
• Update Treatment Plan per policy or more frequently if there is a change in the Veteran's condition or needs.

-Utilizes knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.

• Use the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhance the content to the benefit of Veterans.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies.
• Participate in activities that obtain feedback from clients and work to enhance services as needed.
• Establish collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

-Utilizes knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.

• Collaborate in the performance improvement processes and comply with performance measures as required by the VA for their specific population and/or program.
• Administer information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to patients.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services.
• Performs work related to the review, monitoring, analysis, planning, and assessment of program.
• Responsible for key project activities related to the planning, development, and implementation of the program.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services.

Work Schedule: M-F; 08:00AM-4:30PM
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 54532-O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Jillana Martinez. jillana.martinez@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary