Social Worker - Program Coordinator - Local Recovery Coordinator

Summary

The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division.

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Duties

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VA Careers - Social Work :

The Local Recovery Coordinator (LRC) - MST/Trauma/Family Services is located in the Mental Health Care Line and serves to assist in implementation of policies and procedures from the National Recovery Coordinator (NRC). The LRC will also facilitate implementation of recovery-oriented services in Mental Health programs, which includes education of providers and veterans and their families on recovery and evaluation of implementation efforts.

Duties and responsibilities included but not limited to:

• Training and consulting with facility leadership, staff, veterans/family, and community regarding recovery-oriented services and the transformation of VHA mental health services.
• Facilitates the integration of recovery-oriented services across all mental health programs in VA Medical Centers and Community Based Outpatient Clinics to help ensure that Veterans have access to services (e.g., peer support, family services, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers, skills training and therapeutic and supported employment programs).
• Assists with the implementation of policies and procedures related to mental health recovery and psychosocial rehabilitation.
• Collaborates through the LRC Community of Practice to share innovative and best practices across facilities, to assist with new or changing initiatives, directives, priorities, and metrics.
• Collaborates with the VA medical facility Inpatient Mental Health Program Manager, develops a local Standard Operating Procedure addressing the education, staff training and implementation of recovery-oriented care on the inpatient mental health unit. Supports periodic climate assessments and observations of staff interactions with Veterans in the milieu.
• Reviews policies, procedures, staff trainings, Veteran treatment materials, and other components of Inpatient Mental Health Services at least annually.
• Collaborates with the local mental health executive committee in the development and implementation of a multi-year local plan to bring about a recovery-oriented continuum of mental health care in which there are strong partnerships between VHA MH leaders, clinicians, veterans, and family members.
• Consults with MH Chief or program directors on filling peer specialist positions and serves as a consultant to peer support specialists.
• Assists with VA regional or local recovery-oriented trainings, meetings, conferences, community outreach events, including the annual Cincinnati VA Mental Health Summit.
• Serves as a MH Liaison to the facility Veteran Mental Health Council and supports inclusion of Veterans voice in leadership decisions related to mental health care.
• Provides an annual report on implementation progress to the VISN RC and the NRC; other reports will also be prepared as requested.
• Meets monthly via conference call and works collaboratively with other VISN LRCs to coordinate a network response to recovery implementation and implementation of CO policies and procedures related to recovery.
• Participates in assigned facility MH leadership meetings and policy planning groups.
• Exemplifies high-level awareness of and sensitivity to the intersectionality of mental illness and health disparities.
• May represent the Medical Center or Healthcare System at professional/program community group/events and committees.
• May be identified as the facility POC for SMITRECC "SMI Re-Engagement Project".
• Serves as Champion of Recovery as "upstream suicide prevention" in all levels of care.
• Completes other duties as assigned by Supervisor to support Veteran/Family Mental Health and Well-being
• LRC participates in direct clinical services within PRRC/Special Services and other Clinical Duties as Assigned.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm.

Telework : This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 92553-0

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following:

Basic Requirements : The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000.

• 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the 4 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

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 : In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12

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:

• Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
• Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
• Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
• Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
• 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 GS12 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.

Preferred Experience: None

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-12 (Above The Full Performance).

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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: 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:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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