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This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
1st AOC-Open to all current, permanent employees of the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, including CBOCs
2nd AOC-Open to all current, permanent VA wide employees
3rd AOC-Open to current permanent employees of Other Federal agencies
**If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply to CBST-12213423-24-RC**
Videos
Duties
This Social Worker will serve as a BHIP Care Coordinator, providing expert clinical and care coordination services to Veterans served by the VA Medical Center's interdisciplinary Mental Health Outpatient and Access Clinic (MH-OPAC).
The duties of the Senior Social Worker (Program Coordinator) include but are not limited to:
Work Schedule: M-F, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Available (ADHOC emergency only)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00585F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Carol Thompson at carol.thompson4@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
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: Senior Social Worker, GS-12.
Experience/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 WorkerProgram Coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates 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.
Preferred Experience:
1. Experience conducting Suicide Risk Assessments.
2. Experience providing and/or certification in providing evidenced based treatments.
3. Experience providing brief Diagnostic evaluations.
4. Experience working in a primary care or outpatient Mental Health clinic.
5. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA.
References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying of light objects such as files, books and papers. Some walking, standing and bending is required. No special physical qualifications are required.
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.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for o...
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.
This job is open to
- Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees. - Federal employees - Excepted service
Current excepted service federal employees. - Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of this agency.
Clarification from the agency
1st AOC-Open to all current, permanent employees of the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, including CBOCs
2nd AOC-Open to all current, permanent VA wide employees
3rd AOC-Open to current permanent employees of Other Federal agencies
**If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply to CBST-12213423-24-RC**
Videos
Duties
This Social Worker will serve as a BHIP Care Coordinator, providing expert clinical and care coordination services to Veterans served by the VA Medical Center's interdisciplinary Mental Health Outpatient and Access Clinic (MH-OPAC).
The duties of the Senior Social Worker (Program Coordinator) include but are not limited to:
- Oversees BHIP team communication, including TEAMs chat within and between the team and other stakeholders involved in patient care and administration.
- Monitors dashboards and reports to ensure timely completion of required screenings and follow-up care (e.g., suicide prevention, post discharge visits)
- Leads BHIP huddle/breakout meetings including adherence to guidelines and expectations for the MH-OPAC (e.g., huddle report review, case conference)
- Engages in communication with Veterans to facilitate care coordination (e.g., no show and clinic cancellation, services offered, resolution of concerns with escalation to or in consultation with MH-OPAC leadership as needed)
- Monitors panel activity and inactivity to ensure appropriate episodes of care and transitions in line with active treatment plans.
- Manages within BHIP team consults, and other consult-related actions as assigned.
- Communicates and ensures adherence to MH-OPAC processes and procedures, including emerging guidance by the MH-OPAC Program Manager
- Uses advanced clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options.
- Maintains open access availability to support timely determination of ideal levels and settings for service engagement and utilization based on set protocols and processes.
- Assesses high risk factors, including suicidal and homicidal ideation, as well as, acute needs for VHA or community-based services.
- Completes clinical and psychosocial assessments and screenings identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, abilities, and preferences.
- Provides triage support including notification and assignment to team members either for same day or scheduled appointments.
- Serves as Mental Health Treatment Coordinator for the BHIP team as assigned.
- Serves as a liaison to touchpoints across the facility (e.g., emergency department, screening areas, primary care mental health integration) to promote best practices in mental health access, engagement, transition, referral, and utilization of a stepped care model, to include the universal symbol for mental health and associated decision tree.
- Monitors and reports data for the purposes of best practice utilization and process improvement and implementation.
- Provides crisis intervention, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary treatment team, for Veterans who are experiencing severe social or mental health crises.
- Provides motivational enhancement activities to prepare Veterans to participate in clinically appropriate care.
- Develops, updates and/or facilitates treatment plan(s) using required documentation and within established timeframes and based on clinical need and person-centered treatment goals.
- Demonstrates a detailed knowledge of VHA programs and community services, to meet the needs of Veterans.
- Completes all documentation in the electronic medical record within established timeframes.
Work Schedule: M-F, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Available (ADHOC emergency only)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00585F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Carol Thompson at carol.thompson4@va.gov , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Must pass pre-employment medical evaluation.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
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.
- 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 masters of social work.
- 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/.
- English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written 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).
Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12.
Experience/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 WorkerProgram Coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates 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.
Preferred Experience:
1. Experience conducting Suicide Risk Assessments.
2. Experience providing and/or certification in providing evidenced based treatments.
3. Experience providing brief Diagnostic evaluations.
4. Experience working in a primary care or outpatient Mental Health clinic.
5. Basic skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, and tracking. Ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by VHA.
References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II Appendix G39.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying of light objects such as files, books and papers. Some walking, standing and bending is required. No special physical qualifications are required.
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.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
- Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for o...
