The Program Coordinator for Mental Health Recovery Programming and Transformation (also known as LRC Program Coordinator) is a GS-13 Social Worker who is licensed at the advance practice level. The LRC Program Coordinator is responsible for the development and implementation of mental health interventions, policies and procedures directly related to the transition of VHA from maintenance models of mental health treatment into a recovery-oriented system of care.

Duties

The LRC Program Coordinator is not a part of any single program in Mental Health Service, but rather, is a consultant to all the mental health programs. They are an active participant in the Mental Health Executive Committee, including program development, reviewing and revising policies, consulting on programmatic elements, and providing staff training. They are a champion for recovery: The LRC Program Coordinator models recovery through direct clinical work and consultation with other professional staff on difficult cases. They provide outreach to foster collaboration and enhance community reintegration for both individual Veterans and the JBVAMC mental health programs. They teach recovery principles to staff, trainees, Veteran consumers, and community partners. They serve as the liaison to the Veteran's MH Advisory Council. The LRC Program Coordinator functions as an important connection point to community mental health services and programming. As VA continues to expand mental health resources to meet the needs of Veterans, truly Veteran-centric, recovery-oriented care requires active collaboration and coordination with partners in the community. Through collaboration, VA can promote awareness and utilization of VA mental health resources, help Veterans gain access to community services, and build healthy communities for Veterans and their families. The LRC serves as an active member of the JBVA Outreach Task Force and works closely with the CEPCs and Community Mental Health POCs to coordinate outreach and communication services for community integration for MHS. Representing MHS and actively engaging in community-based councils and task forces requires an individual with an extensive knowledge of the system and a high degree of professionalism. The LRC provides ready access to information about VA eligibility and available clinical services, ensures warm handoffs at critical points of transition between systems of care, and provide ongoing liaison between VA and Community Partners. Social Work program coordinators have broad program management responsibilities which include the operation of key clinical programs for a growing VAMC serving over 62,000 Veterans and 5 sites of care. They have responsibility for the transformation of the full range of mental health services. The LRC must deliver specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components of the facility and that significantly impact the health care provided to Veterans. Responsibilities include development and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures; oversight of administrative and programmatic resources; and monitoring of outcomes using a data-driven quality assurance process. Decisions made affect staff and other resources associated with the programs managed and are made while exercising wide latitude and independent judgment. Programs managed deliver specialized, complex, highly professional services that are important program components of the medical center and significantly impact the health care provided to veterans. The Program Coordinator will ensure JBVAMC is in full compliance with all MH-related VHA directives and other regulations. They are responsible for programming and operations of the program, develop policies and procedures for operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. The program coordinator is responsible for reporting required data to VHA and other monitoring entities; and for ensuring that internal and external surveys, performance measures (such as SAIL) and reviews result in fully successful reviews. Program coordinators provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for staff. They identify areas for improvement, gather relevant data, assess the data, develop and implement ideas for improvement, and evaluate efficacy of improving recovery efforts. 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/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates 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 of the following KSAs. (a) Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility. (b) Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive. (c) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. (e) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; and selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action. (f) Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget. (g) Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations. References: September 10, 2019 VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-13. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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: Joyce Ruffin
• Phone: 414-384-2000 X40575
• Email: [email protected]