Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

Summary

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. Program 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.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• 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 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 SW Licensure Summary by State
• Exception: VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• For appointments at the GS-9 grade level - VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam - and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record
• Different states have different levels of licensure or certification - making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level
• Each state - Puerto Rico - and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice
• Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services - and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social worker's level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards
• All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB
• Information can be found at
• The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work
• ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work
• The ASWB offers three examinations
• The master's examination is generally used by states for the independent practice level of licensure or certification - while the advanced generalist and the clinical examinations are used for the advanced practice level of licensure or certification
• Differences between the master's and the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers will have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application
• Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases - social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment
• Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker - 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
• 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
• Reference: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G39
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Finger Lakes Healthcare System has 1 vacancy for a Social Worker (Program Coordinator) at the Bath VA Medical Center within the Justice Outreach program
• The Program Coordinator provide psychosocial assessments - case management services - continuous quality improvement activities - evaluation/consultation - placement services - and referral and linkage to various community agencies for Veterans who are within 6 months of release from correctional institutions and/or are being monitored by the courts - including treatment or problem solving courts
• Major duties include but are not limited to: 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
• 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
• conduct active outreach to Veterans involved with the justice system - including those who may be participants - or candidates for participation - in treatment court programs - including Veterans Courts
• 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
• 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
• Provides referrals or consults to other VA programs - including Grant and Per Diem programs - Health Care for Homeless Veterans contract residential treatment - Domiciliary or Psychiatric Residential Rehabilitation Programs - or Compensated Work Therapy or Supported Employment programs
• Collaborates with county probation officers - prosecutors - public defenders - retained defense counsel - and parole officers as appropriate to develop a post-release plan and/or community based alternatives to incarceration
• Participates in development of a treatment plan for each Veteran contacted through outreach
• The treatment plan includes individualized goals and measurable objectives based on relevant psychological - medical - and psychiatric information
• Conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse - psychiatric illness - and social needs as treatment issues
• Work Schedule: Full-time - Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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.

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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