Summary Incumbent serves as program coordinator and is administratively responsible for the Medical Foster Home Program for the Tucson VA Medical Center. Coordinator manages the daily operation of the program and provides direct Veteran-centric services in the program area. Responsibilities include the daily operation of the program, developing policies and procedures for program operation and preparing reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. Responsibilities Program Management Oversees program development, recruitment, and development of the foster homes, recruitment and admission of veteran residents, case management, development of policies and care processes, and coordination with HBPC interdisciplinary treatment teams. Establishes intake processes and oversight responsibilities and maintains a record-keeping system for the program. Provides training to caregivers, students, residents, interns, and fellows from other disciplines regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a medical foster home. Reports data on monthly reports to the national program office and providing local and VISN leadership Provides clinical supervision to Social Work Interns and those seeking advanced licensure. Direct Patient Care Receives and completes consults from interdisciplinary teams and other social workers on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referrals. Interviews and conducts psychosocial assessments. Develops an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment teams, the veteran, family members and significant others, whenever possible, includes home visits. Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Uses advanced clinical training, insight, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options, including admission to a Medical Foster Home. Treatment Planning Develops psychosocial treatment plans in collaboration with HBPC interdisciplinary team, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. 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 foster home caregiver and veteran, and involved family members, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate. Meets with medical foster home caregiver, veteran, and/or family members to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals. 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. Incumbent will provide the patient and/or caregivers and family members with ongoing supportive counseling. Assists patient/and/or caregivers in coping and dealing with the loss and grief experienced in chronic illness, terminal illness and death. Advocacy. Acts as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family. Acts as an advocate for the VA and need for services in specific geographical areas. Crisis Intervention. Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans to maintain the veteran in a medical foster home. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional 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. 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). 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. 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: Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. Licensure: Candidate must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. 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: 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. In addition to the experience above, candidates 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. Preferred Experience: 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. Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work include sitting, standing, walking, standing, driving, pushing equipment and wheelchairs, lifting, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and carrying light items such as papers, books, or other supplies. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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.
