The Social Worker - Program Coordinator is administratively responsible for the oversight of the ICMHR-RANGE program. The ICMHR-RANGE program is a clinical program providing treatment to patients in a major specialty program for the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend HCS (VATVCBHCS). This includes planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures for the ICMHR-RANGE Program as well as monitoring, operating, evaluating, coordinating, and overseeing the ICMHR-RANGE Program.

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Education. Must 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. Independent 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. Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-13 Experience. 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. Note: To be equivalent to the GS-12 level, experience must be gained while holding a full, unrestricted license to practice social work at the Advanced Practice Level in a U.S. State or Territory. Assignments at the GS-12 level are as follows: Social Worker (Assistant Chief), Social Worker (Program Coordinator), Supervisory Social Worker, Social Worker (Research), and Senior Social Worker. 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 license. Advanced Practice 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 license. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility. Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. 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. 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. Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard, Dated 9/10/2019 This position is above the full-performance level (GS-11). The grade at which a candidate may be selected is GS-13. Physical Requirements: There are no set physical requirements for this occupation. Standing, walking, and light carrying may be needed to attend meetings. Mental/cognitive stability are needed to successfully perform the functions of this position.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Failure to provide transcripts may result in non-referral of your application if education cannot be verified.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Note: If your school was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CSWE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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.

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.

Duties Continued:

• Maintains a level of productivity and quality consistent with facility and mental health standards and the complexity of the assignment.
• Participates in development of a treatment plan that includes measurable goals based on relevant biopsychosocial information for each Veteran contacted through outreach, and is responsible for the assessment, identification, facilitation, referral, and linkage to appropriate medical, psychiatric, and social services for Veterans identified as eligible for services.
• Conducts individual and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of substance abuse, psychiatric illness, and social needs as treatment issues. Professional judgment, including the knowledge of normal and abnormal behavior, is a competency applied in daily interactions with Veterans.
• Participates in the assignment of Veterans to VA treatment teams and programs, including consulting with relevant program clinical staff in planning treatment for Veterans with comorbidities.
• Facilitates community organization and outreach to alleviate problems that may interfere with Veterans' ability to achieve independence.
• Assists the Veteran in service stabilization by consulting and intervening when problems arise with service providers and assists in prioritizing the management and pace of services Veterans receive.
• Provides community based ICMHR Services with use of government owned vehicle, including the transportation of Veterans in government owned vehicles when clinically indicated and a part of the Veteran's recovery plan.
• Ensures utilization of government owned equipment (i.e., laptop computers, phones, hotspots, and government owned vehicles) in accordance with medical center policies.
• Assesses high risk factors, acuity, and need for services of Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, be poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support.
• Diagnoses mental disorders and conducts psychosocial assessments as needed to determine appropriate treatment interventions, modalities, and referrals, including provision of adjunctive interventions for treatment of mental disorders using individual, family, and group psychotherapies.
• Identifies and interviews Veterans community-based and clinic-based settings to conduct needs assessments and determine appropriate referrals, linkages, and coordination for VA and non-VA services to enhance function in the community.
• May provide clinical consultation to various disciplines and levels of training including PACT Team members, Social Workers, General Mental Health Providers, and other members of the VA community.
• May provide training/consultation to incoming social work interns, psychology interns, medical residents, nursing students, and fellows.
• May provide leadership, guidance, and consultation on staff education and development to all ICMHR staff, as appropriate.

Contacts

• Address VA TX Valley Coastal Bend HCS 2601 Veterans Drive Harlingen, TX 78550 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]