Summary Incumbent serves as the Social Work Program Coordinator for the Spinal Cord Injury Program and is administratively responsible for a clinic program providing treatment to patients in a major specialty area. The incumbent manages and controls the use of data related to these programs regarding day-to-day functioning and program evaluation. Responsibilities VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz\ua\UU 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. Program 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. The Spinal Cord Injury is one of six nationally recognized VHA special disability programs. They will oversee access to care, referrals for treatment servcies, and case management services for spinal cord injury veterans. You will need to have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice leve and specialized knowledge of procatice typically related to a diagnosis or population. skills and judgment, especially in crisis intervention and working with an interdisciplinary team. Administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to patients. Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals inpatient days, patient demographics, equipment utilization and patient satisfaction. Develops, implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services and program's effectiveness. Serves as point of contact for all inquiries regarding the Spinal Cord Injury program. This may include stakeholders (e.g. veterans, families, community hospitals, nursing homes, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and other Veterans Service Organizations), Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Strategic Healthcare Group, and Congressional inquiries. Manages nationwide Spinal Cord Injury Dysfunction (SCD) Registry for the facility to include the entering, editing, compiling, analyzing, and updating of Registry data. Ensures proper registration of appropriate veterans for clinical, administrative, and outcome purposes. Establishes collaborative relationships with physicians, nurses, and other disciplines to foster their involvement in care of veterans with Spinal Cord Injury. Identifies gaps in services and develops a plan, in consultation with Spinal Cord Injury staff and other departments as appropriate. Identifies unmet needs of the Spinal Cord Injury population and works collaboratively with community agencies, i.e. assisted living facilities, nursing homes, handicapped accessible housing and state's veterans' homes. Promotes and coordinates annual comprehensive preventative health evaluation for each enrolled Spinal Cord Injury patient at the Spinal Cord Injury Center or at the appropriate Spinal Cord Injury outpatient Support Clinics. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN15EDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Driver's License - A current, valid state issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). 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: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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 the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master 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. 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: GS-12 Social Worker Program Coordinator - Spinal Cord Injury Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples of specialized experience at the GS-12 include, but are not limited to: psychosocial assessments and establishing realistic but achievable treatment goals; provide individual, family and group counseling aimed at helping the veteran and his/her family find practical solutions to complex problems; manages and coordinates provision of the following services as appropriate: Activities of daily living (ADL); Home health services; Prosthetic appliances; Medical supplies; Vocational Rehabilitation; Peer Counseling, Transportation and finances, Home evaluations, Housing alternatives and development and utilization of community resources; make home visits independently or with members of the Spinal Cord Injury interdisciplinary team to assess the home environment when appropriate to ensure that services are provided that will enable the veterans to live safely and independently. The incumbent may also see patients in the community, when deemed appropriate by the team, to facilitate coordination of care when patients are sent to LTAC's, SAR, AR and ECF facilities. 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: In-depth knowledge of program coordinated, and demonstrate knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. Knowledge and skill in management/administration, which includes supervision, consultation, negotiatiion, and monitoring. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet multiple deadlines, and evaluate assigned program area(s). Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical specialization of practice. Preferred Experience: Medical social work experience preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone, retrieving files, writing reports, data entry and maintenance of computer databases, etc. Work is typically performed sitting at a desk and using a computer. This position may require occasional travel. The position requires periods of walking, standing, sitting and bending. 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.
