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. 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.

Duties

CLINICAL: Timely screening, psychosocial assessment, and diagnoses of mental disorders Case manager for Veterans who are justice-involved, performing duties to facilitate independent community living Assists incarcerated Veterans in the preparation of materials needed for applications to various agencies for entitlements Major consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes Veterans encounter when interacting with government and community agencies Provides referral 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 Provide a full range of services within the Social Work Scope of Practice based on Veteran needs, acuity level, and preferences for care Consultation and psychoeducation to Veterans and Veteran families on topics including community resources Development of a treatment plan for each Veteran under case management Conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification and treatment of substance use, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues Assesses high risk factors, acuity, and the need for services Education of current theory and treatment modalities by re a ding professional journals, attending conferences, clinic seminars and teleconferences, and materials given out by facility staff and the mental health service Collaborates with county probation officers, state attorney's office public defenders and hired attorneys to develop a post- release plan and/or community-based alternatives to incarceration Meets with county jail administrators and staff on a regular basis to maintain appropriate policies and procedures required at each institution. Attends correctional institution staff trainings relevant to working with offenders and high-risk populations and represents the VA at community meetings, having membership on boards, councils, and task forces Collaborates with Healthcare for Reentry Veterans Specialists in supporting engagement in care for eligible Veterans recently discharged from State and Federal prisons Identifies and interviews incarcerated Veterans at each institution to conduct pre-release needs assessment and determine appropriate post-release referrals, linkage and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance the transition from jail to the community Performs work in maximum, medium, and minimum-security correctional institutions as well as courts The work environment may involve dirty facilities. There is ongoing exposure to individuals having psychiatric and physical illness and disabilities Assists the Veteran in services stabilization by consulting and intervening when problems arise with service providers and assisting in priority management/pace of services/integration of Veteran in program with Veteran and program staff Assists the Veteran in contact with correctional probation officer, problem solving with Veteran and probation, and advocating for Veteran with probation officer Reviews, encourages, and reinforces adaptive coping with criminal recidivism risk behavior and attitudes Participates in the assignment of Veterans to treatment teams and programs Conducts staff development programs for mental health service and takes responsibility for providing opportunities to help staff update their mental health professional knowledge and practice skills Evaluates his/her practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means Performs a wide range of services and provides technical assistance to State, local, and private agencies, enforcement , and universities A substantial portion of the workload directed by this position is carried out at one or more locations Perform a large part of their work in community settings Consultation and clinical supervision to social work trainees and unlicensed staff Conducts: routine suicide risk screens; comprehensive suicide risk evaluations, and collaborative safety plans Social Workers at this level assume complete professional responsibility for their clinical assessment findings, Veteran care decisions, and documentation Provides leadership in identifying and addressing ethical issues that impact patients and staff, including initiating and participating in ethical consultations. Maintains complete patient confidentiality. Candidates will be expected to perform a large part of their work in community settings. Work Schedule: Mon-Fr 0800-1630 Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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. 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: 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 (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting; moderate carrying; pushing; operation of motor vehicle; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted) Environmental Factors: Outside and inside; working closely with others; working alone

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Melissa Quilter
• Phone: 360-696-4061 X38599
• Email: [email protected]