Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

Full Job Description

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.

Basic Requirements: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C.

§ 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: 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 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/. 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. 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 GS0185 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. 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: 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.

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.

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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent is responsible for the overall implementation and the day-to-day operations of the social work training program as delegated by the Social Work Chief ( or designee) in consultation with the Social Work Professional Practice Council (SWPPC).

As the GS-12 Master Social Work Student Training Program Coordinator, this position is not supervisory and not suitable for Telework.

The Training/Education Coordinator oversees the professional development of the social work trainees at the RHN AMC and surrounding CBOC's.

Additionally, the incumbent is responsible for working closely with the RHN AMC Education and Affiliation program in support of the SW intern program and its affiliate partnerships.

The incumbent will be an active member of the SWPPC and participate in intern and staff development, as needed.

The Social Work Program Coordinator is also responsible for providing clinical supervision to unlicensed social workers within VA RHN AMC, both individual and group clinical supervision as they work toward their licensure.

The incumbent is responsible for the overall implementation and the day-to-day operations of the social work training program as delegated by the Social Work Chief ( or designee) in consultation with the Social Work Professional Practice Council (SWPPC).

As the GS-12 Master Social Work Student Training Program Coordinator, this position is not supervisory and not suitable for Telework.

The Training/Education Coordinator oversees the professional development of the social work trainees at the RHN AMC and surrounding CBOC's.

Additionally, the incumbent is responsible for working closely with the RHN AMC Education and Affiliation program in support of the SW intern program and its affiliate partnerships.

The incumbent will be an active member of the SWPPC and participate in intern and staff development, as needed.

The Social Work Program Coordinator is also responsible for providing clinical supervision to unlicensed social workers within VA RHN AMC, both individual and group clinical supervision as they work toward their licensure.

The incumbent develops policies/standard operating procedures for program operation and prepares reports for facility use. In addition, she/he may prepare reports for VISN and national use.

The incumbent conducts and initiates service audits for the master level graduate student program, as well as completes assigned clinical practice audits for graduate students, including collaboration with college/ universities.

They manage program operations and assessments by identifying areas for improvement, collecting relevant data, analyzing the data, developing and implementing improvement strategies, and evaluating the effectiveness of these efforts in consultation with the Chief of Social Work Service.

Work Schedule: Monday and Wednesday 8:00am-4:30pm and Thursday 8:00am-12:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, 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: ADHOC Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 60727F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized