Spinal Cord Injury is one of six nationally recognized Veterans Health Administration (VHA) special disability programs. The SCI Program Coordinator oversees access to care, referrals for treatment services, and case management for spinal cord injured Veterans. The SCI Coordinator is a social worker with responsibility for managing the Salem VAMC facility's SCI program and coordinating SCI treatment services for Veterans.

Duties

DUTIES: Clinical Functions: The SCI Coordinator also functions as the Social Work member of the interdisciplinary SCI treatment team. Clinical social work services are provided to the SCI population with frequent complex and unpredictable caseload requirements. Such service responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Completes psychosocial evaluation and assessment and periodic reassessments of each patient served, which provides a comprehensive social database to identify psychosocial, social, and vocational needs and the appropriate treatment and services to be provided. Develops and implements realistic and achievable social work treatment plans, as part of the interdisciplinary treatment plans that reflect an ability to effectively use a broad range of treatment modalities. Provides individual, family, and group counseling aimed at helping the Veteran and their family find practical solutions to complex problems. Advocates on behalf of the Veteran to ensure that services and benefits are obtained in a timely manner and in keeping with the VA's goal for excellence in customer service. Established and maintains therapeutic relationships with SCI Veterans and their families. Manages and coordinates provision of the following services as appropriate: Activities of Daily Living (ADL); Personal Care Attendant (PCA); Nutritional Management; Prosthetic Appliances; Medical Supplies; Vocational Rehabilitation; Leisure and/or Avocational Interest; Peer Counseling for Families and/or Significant Others; Transportation and Finances; Home Evaluations; Housing Alternatives; and Identification, Development and Utilization of Community Resources Provides ongoing case management services to address transportation needs, evaluation of eligibility for VA benefits, linking patients to appropriate services including Mental Health, Primary and other sub-specialty care. Refers Veterans to other organizations and community resources (i.e., housing alternatives, personal care services, transportation resources, etc. or other VA governmental resources) for services not available from the VHA facility. Provides advanced directive (Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care) information and education to the education to the Veteran and family, assisting the Veteran in preparing such documents, as requested. Responsibilities for other duties as assigned by the Chief of Social Work Service. Administrative Functions: Develops a system to identify SCI patients served by the facility and community who belong in this special disability group. This may involve use of the Spinal Cord Dysfunction (SCD) Registry, Patient Treatment File searches, Veterans Health Information System and Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) records, and contacts within the community. This developed system alerts the SCI Coordinator of admissions or outpatient appointments of Veterans receiving care anywhere within the facility for appropriate SCI consultation and potential referral to an SCI Center. Serves as the point of contact for all inquiries regarding the SCI program. This may include stakeholders (e.g. Veterans, families, community hospitals and nursing homes, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and other Veterans Service Organizations), Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Strategic Healthcare Group (SCI&D, SHG) and Congressional Inquiries Coordinates an annual comprehensive preventive health evaluation for each enrolled SCI patient at the SCI Center or at an appropriate SCI Outpatient Support Clinic. Promotes and coordinates annual evaluations within the SCI Center and appropriate SCI Outpatient Clinics Manages the daily operation of the SCI program and provides accountability for program effectiveness and modification of service patterns to enhance customer satisfaction Assigned administrative responsibilities to monitor, provide program reports and is accountable for clinical referral coordination effectiveness and modification of referrals made through fee based/non-VA care and Veterans Choice Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: At Supervisory Discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Requirements

Qualifications

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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. 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). Grade Determinations: GS12: 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. 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 G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 12 . Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the incumbent and others. Position requires walking throughout the Health Care Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans, their families, and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require travel into the community to meet with Veterans and community providers. Incumbent must pass a recurrent driver's physical and maintain a current driver's license so that they are able to travel into the community and transport Veterans. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading and typing; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Salem VA Medical Center 1970 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, VA 24153 US
• Name: Kera Madden
• Phone: 540-982-2463 X2770
• Email: [email protected]