This position is for a Social Work Program Coordinator, who is responsible for the professional and administrative management of the Veterans Empowerment and Recovery (VEAR) Center within the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Mental Health Service.
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 a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. b. 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. c. 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/. 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 asocial 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 https://www.aswb.org/. 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. 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. d. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 dated September 10, 2019 Physical Requirements: Work will require walking, standing, bending, and carrying light items in conjunction with travel and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site. The work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting and other facilities with no unusual health hazards.
The VEAR Center is a Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) and provides a wide range of rehabilitation and recovery services for Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), collaboration and advocacy for Veterans with SMI and their family members, and education and training of staff, in conjunction with other VA professionals, to promote the transition from maintenance models of treatment to the contemporary recovery rehabilitation model. The Social Work Program Coordinator manages all clinical, administrative and training aspects of VEAR. They have responsibility for supervision, coordinating all initiatives, program planning, admission criteria, case management and treatment services provided, staffing, work assignments, and other support for VEAR. The incumbent is expected to have specific training and demonstrated expertise in the areas of case management, psychotherapy, and treatment planning using patient centered and recovery-based models with Veterans with a diagnosis of a Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). The incumbent must also be knowledgeable and current in their understanding and practice in the delivery of Evidence Based Methods of care for Veteran with a SPMI diagnosis. The incumbent must be able to teach and monitor other professionals in their delivery of such treatments. They initiate and conduct a variety of program audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity assessments. The proportion of these duties will be determined by the Mental Health Service Chief through the designated Section Chief and are expected to be flexible based upon clinical need. The Program Coordinator reports to the Chief, Community Section, Mental Health Service. While this is a primarily community position, assignments in any setting (e.g. hospital, outpatient) are a possibility based on the clinical needs of the Mental Health Service. The incumbent makes independent professional decisions and recommendations at the advanced practice level. The Incumbent must be licensed or certified in a state at the advanced practice level. Providing clinical services in a virtual modality is expected. Virtual modality includes video telehealth, patient/provider secure messaging, telephone visits, review of electronically forwarded medical records. The incumbent has broad program management responsibilities, which include the operation and management of key clinical, training, or administrative activities for the VEAR Center in the Mental Health Service. Responsibilities include knowledge, development, and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures for their assigned VEAR programming, as well as oversight of administrative and programmatic resources. Identify, develop and facilitate accessibility and utilization of VA and community resources to meet the needs of Veterans and clinics. -Develop and make enhancements to assigned VEAR programming. -Has direct supervision and responsibility for the professional activities of multidisciplinary staff (Social Workers and Peer Support Specialist). VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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) 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 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 94109-0