The Social Worker serves as program coordinator at the GS-12 grade are administratively responsible for a clinic program providing treatment to patients in a major specialty area. The Social Worker coordinates direct patient care services in the program area and provides direct patient care services in the program area. The Social Worker coordinates direct patient care services in the program area and provides direct patient care services in the program area.

Duties

The Social Worker coordinates the daily operation of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. The Social Worker may be responsible for the program's budget and various control points assigned to the program within the assigned areas. The incumbent manages and controls the use of data related to these programs regarding day to day functioning and program evaluation. In conjunction with the Social Work and Mental Health Service Chief, the Social Worker plans, organizes and directs administrative, operational, and patient activities for the service. The Social Worker is capable of practicing at the advanced level and has specialized knowledge of practice typically related to a particular diagnosis or population. Incumbent should have at least 2 years in an area of specialized social work practice and licensed or hold certification in a state at the independent practice level. - The SPC functions as a coordinator of care for veterans at high risk of suicide. Tracks high-risk patients and monitors treatment to insure that needed services are being received. - Completes consults from the National Suicide Hotline. - Plays an active role in the RCA (Root Cause Analysis) Suicide Team by performing individual case reviews, assisting with preparation of yearly aggregate summaries, and facilitating the implementation of system improvement recommended by the Team. - Provides training to clinical and non-clinical staff in the Medical Center, CBOC's and community about risk factors, warning signs, treatment options and resources. - Establishes an on-going Gatekeeper Training program with non-clinical frontline staff to assure that they are aware of options for patients whom they come in contact during crisis situations. - Promotes the use of evidence-based interventions and strategies for suicide prevention in the medical center. - Develops and distributes outreach materials to include brochures, fact sheets, web content, and other targeted information which highlights suicide prevention, warning signs and risk factors. - Develops and implements ongoing plan for providers, veterans, families and members of the community on risk factors and warning signs for suicide and treatment options. - Independently plans, designs, implements the program, determines program goals and objectives, and completes reports for the VISN or VA Central Office. Results of the work are considered technically authoritative and are normally accepted without significant change. - Prepares and maintains administrative records, data bases, and reports in accordance with VACO and local guidelines. - Develops and monitors quality improvement measures. The incumbent formulates and implements an internal evaluation process through which progress toward goals and objectives can be objectively monitored. Implements changes based on the results of evaluations. Performs impact assessments of these changes. Ensures that any required external evaluation of the program is submitted within established time frames. - Interfaces with services throughout the medical center, including but not limited to medical providers and patient advocate, to resolve administrative and clinical problems. This includes collaboration on individual patients and the coordination of medical care within the treatment team. - Responsible for key project activities related to the planning, development, and implementation of the project component. This position supervises an organizational unit. - The incumbent may be required to work occasional weekends or evenings as determined by the service needs. - Performs other related duties as assigned. Required: LCSW Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Telework: available as Adhoc based on clinic needs Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation Incentives: May be authorized to Highly Qualified Individual outside of the 50-mile radius. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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). 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 Master of Social Work. Transcript Required 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/. License must be submitted Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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. Transcript Required 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. License must be submitted Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all 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. References: September 10, 2019 VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application

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 Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Valerie Kelly
• Phone: 773-946-3802
• Email: [email protected]