The incumbent is the Coordinated Entry (CE) Specialist for the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center Homeless Programs. This position enables VA homeless programs to fully collaborate with the community, including Continuums of Care (CoC) and local community partners, in the coordinated entry efforts in those communities. Providing continuity of care for homeless Veterans between VHA and community-based programs, such as Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs, GPD Programs, HUD-VASH, etc.

Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU The CE Specialist provides leadership in the community by actively participating in local plans to end Veteran homelessness as well as conducting and leading the coordination of outreach services to homeless Veterans. Duties include but are not limited to: Participates in CoC meetings and planning efforts which may include leadership roles within the CoC group. Provides direct linkage from community services to VHA homeless program services through regular and consistent outreach and communication with community providers. This includes, but is not limited to, direct linkage to VA mental health services for those Veterans who are at high risk for suicide. Participates in case conferencing process within the CoC's coordinated entry system to help inform and facilitate referrals to VA programs such as HUD­VASH, SSVF, HCHV CRS, and GPD. Ensures efficient sharing of Veteran data and program information, as allowable under VA Privacy and Information Security policies and Directives. This will include knowledge of HMIS and HOMES data standards, data sharing and privacy authorities, HUD guidance, and other applicable documents or established guidance. Participates and contribute to a CoC level resource-and-demand analysis, including periodic review of the gaps to determine inflows/outflows, and make recommendations to VHA homeless program leadership on adjustments to resource allocations within coordinated entry based on this analysis. Provides support to the VA homeless program teams as a functional member of the team, to include participation in outreach activities and subject matter consultation on community involved interventions for homeless Veterans. Serves as a member of a multidisciplinary homeless program treatment team to link treatment team discussions to the community's case conferencing discussions, ensuring continuity of care for Veterans experiencing homelessness in addition to complex physical and mental illnesses, including those at risk for suicide. Provides all necessary assessment functions in the service provision for homeless Veterans, e.g. interviewing, psychosocial histories and assessments to aid in the development of treatment plans as well as case conferencing discussions and planning. Develops partnerships with community agencies with regular contact and communication. Participates in policy formulation with federal partners, including VA, HUD, and USICH who have active initiatives to promote CES and community planning. The incumbent will work with local VA programs, with a special focus on HCHV, HUD-VASH, GPD, and SSVF to ensure broad-based participation in CES and community planning. Provides appropriate clinical documentation for all contacts with or about Veterans who are engaged through outreach services. Provides clinical services and appropriate clinical documentation for homeless Veterans encountered through the community's coordinated entry system or other service access points. Ensures timely and accurate entry into VA data systems such as HOMES and the review the data to improve performance and delivery of services to homeless Veterans and ensuring that this information is shared (in a manner consistent with VA information sharing directives) so that community Master or By-Name Lists are up-to-date and complete. Provides recovery-oriented and housing first services, with the goal of establishing the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available 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

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. English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Education - Candidates 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. Licensure - Social workers at the GS-12 must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they 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: Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above, you must have the following: GS-12 Level: Senior Social Workers must posses at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty, and are able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities: Advanced knowledge of VA and community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services with internal VA and external community providers. Advanced knowledge of the purpose and operations of a CoC and the CoC's responsibility for community planning and implementation of CES. Ability to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and assistance needed. Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Advanced knowledge and expert skill in providing outreach to homeless individuals. Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to other staff and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients experiencing homelessness. Ability to independently evaluate his/her own practice through participation in professional peer review case conferences, research studies, or other organized means. Knowledge and skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: MUST POSSESS A CURRENT LCSW (LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER) References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: All candidates must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Candidates must meet the physical requirements outlined in Section II and Section VI of the OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions and must possess emotional and mental stability.

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 James H Quillen VA Medical Center Corner of Lamont Street and Veterans Way Mountain Home, TN 37684 US
• Name: Zenophia Harris
• Phone: 512-326-6502
• Email: [email protected]