Social Worker (Program Coordinator - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program)

Summary

This Social Worker (Program Coordinator) will serve as a BHIP Mental Health Treatment 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).

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
• 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)
• NOTE: 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 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
• NOTE: Current state requirements may be found by going to
• 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 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience with outreaching patients
• Experience using data and reports to inform best practices and guide continuous improvement
• Ability to manage multiple demands efficiently
• Experience working with interprofessional teams
• Experience with models of care utilized in VA (e.g. - measurement-based - evidence-based - person-centered - recovery-oriented)
• Appreciation for process improvement and program development frameworks (e.g. - LEAN) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - pulling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
• Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
• the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
• However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties for this position include - but are not limited to: Contacts Veterans assigned to the BHIP team through scheduled and unscheduled encounters - including asynchronous care (e.g. - contacting patients based on risk - inactivity - or other factors that suggest care coordination is needed)
• 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
• 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 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
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
• Subject to change based on the needs of the facility
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00585F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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