Social Worker Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Program Coordinator

Job description

Summary This position is eligible for 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 your start date.

Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions.

Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Program Management: Oversees program development, quality improvement projects, written and oral communication between internal and external customers, assessment, counseling and recommending to Veterans and caregivers, case management, development of policies and care processes, and coordination with HCBS interdisciplinary treatment teams.

Identifying community agencies, establishes intake processes, establishes oversight responsibilities, and maintains a record-keeping system for the program.

Marketing the model of care and reaches out to community groups and agencies to promote program expansion.

Providing training to caregivers, students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a HCBS programs.

Have extensive knowledge of geriatrics, community agencies and partnerships and VA HCBS programs, to include but not limited to; (Homemaker Home Health Aide Respite, Purchased Skilled Home care, Home Based Primary Care, Veteran Directed-Home And Community Based Services, Hospice, Palliative Care, Geriatric Evaluation and Management, Community Nursing Home, State Veterans Home, Caregiver Support, Bowel and Bladder, Geriatric and Extended Care policies and procedures.

The work may require assisting physically disabled veterans.

Screening/Assessment: The program coordinator receives and completes referrals from interdisciplinary teams and VA PC teams.

Also provides consultation to referral sources and is responsible for development and maintenance of professional standards of practice and educating others regarding such.

Documents independently in the medical records, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referrals.

The program coordinator interviews and conducts psychosocial assessments; interviews veterans and family members or significant others to establish facts about the veteran's unique situation; presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health.

Treatment Planning: Develops psychosocial treatment plans in collaboration with HCBS interdisciplinary team, including goals for psychosocial treatment, makes initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals.

Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment.

Evaluation and Management: The program coordinator establishes a continuing relationship with the community agencies, caregiver, and veteran, and involved family members, evaluating progress towards goals, and adjusting the program plan as appropriate.

Evaluates on an on-going basis the needs of the Veterans as progress is made or Veterans health condition changes.

Monitors progress, maintains comprehensive documentation, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders, and shows competent discretion in decision to adjust treatment.

Makes recommendations for care and changes to interdisciplinary treatment plan.

Will provide the patient or caregivers and family members with ongoing supportive counseling.

Will assist patient and caregivers in coping and dealing with the loss and grief experienced in chronic illness, terminal illness, and death.

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

Recruitment Incentive: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Learn more 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: AD-HOC Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #:000000 Permanent Change of Station: Not Authorized 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 trial period.

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

Must have an unrestricted State Driver's License.

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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).

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/.

Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment.

Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

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.

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 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: light lifting, 15-44pounds, light carrying, 15-44 pounds, use of fingers, operation of motor vehicle.

Environmental Factors include working outside and inside, slippery or uneven walking surfaces, working around moving objects or vehicles and working closely with others.

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/.

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.

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.

Required Skill Profession

Other General