Summary 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. Responsibilities The ADD/C's primary responsibility is to provide clinical and administrative leadership, management and supervision of all Vet Center staff and all other professional, paraprofessional and nonprofessional staff assigned to work at the Vet Center and to plan, develop, implement, coordinate, monitor and evaluate all treatment services of the Vet Center. Additional duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Oversight: The ADD/C oversees clinical effectiveness of Vet Centers. Performs quality assurance inspections of Vet Centers Ensures clinical charting and Veteran client privacy is following Readjustment Counseling Service and VHA policies. Quality Assurance: Oversees the administrative and clinical aspects of a major specialty treatment program, for quality assurance in RCS. Ensures clinical quality assurance utilizing various clinical modalities and evidence-based practices. Reviews and evaluates Vet Centers at least annually. Establishes and tracks developmental objectives to guide the team in improving services to Veteran clients. Clinical Crisis Management: Develops, reviews, and analyzes a clinical crisis reporting system that accurately tracks critical incidents to improve Vet Center services. The individual collaborates and coordinates with VA entities to facilitate and ensure that a Mortality & Morbidity (M&M) quality review panel is conducted when Vet Center clients die by suicide. Ensures the Peer Review protocol process is completed at Vet Centers when the outcome of the Self- Directed Violence Assessment tool indicates a suicide attempt. Utilizes administrative and clinically qualitative outcomes to further educate staff. Staff Development and Education: Ensures that the clinical staff in their respective RCS Zone is adequately trained to address the needs of Vet Center clients. The individual also ensures staff is kept abreast of clinical issues or evidence-based treatments. Assesses the educational developmental needs of the clinical staff. Responsible for monitoring licensure of all eligible clinical staff in consultation with Deputy District Director and Staffing, to ensure compliance. Develops educational activities, training curriculum in conjunction with District Offices. Education Liaison: Oversees and ensure that all clinical supervisors adhere to established VHA policies governing health professions training in VHA facilities. Supervision/Guidance: Provides consultation, clinical supervision, and guidance to the clinical staff of the Vet Centers. The individual is the primary clinical supervisor for each Vet Center Director within their RCS Zone. The venue of supervision may be on-site during a quality assurance site visit, telephonic, tele-video, or through written policy and directives. Research: Reviews all research proposals involving Vet Centers and advises the Deputy District Director of the effectiveness and value of the project to enhance treatment of Vet Center clients. Upon approval of any research project, the ADD/C monitors the process and compliance with VHA research protocol; ensures proposal guidelines, Veteran client privacy, and timely completion. Independently studies such areas to arrive at appropriate solutions to be recommended for implementation. Outreach: Monitors Vet Center outreach activities are strategically planned and adjusted to ensure market penetration of the local eligible individuals' population. Reviews and advises the Deputy District Director as to the appropriateness and effectiveness of outreach efforts, strategies, and activities. Promotes the sharing of successful outreach strategies among the Vet Centers in a best practices model. Collaboration and Networking: Ensures that Vet Centers maintain clinically productive relationships with programs and organizations internal and external to the Readjustment Counseling Service. The goal of these relationships is to attain a network of liaisons and coordination of services that enhance prompt and successful referrals of Veteran clients. Collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm; some evenings and weekends may be required based on the needs of the District. Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: Not available Functional Statement #: PD795820 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required ** Hired employee will need to currently live in permanent residence within one of the states falling under the 10RCS North Atlantic District 1, to include Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC, or North Carolina." 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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English 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 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/. Different states have different levels of licensure or certification, making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level. Each state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice. Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services, and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social worker's level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards. All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB. Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/. The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work. ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work. The ASWB offers three examinations. The master's examination is generally used by states for the independent practice level of licensure or certification, while the advanced generalist and the clinical examinations are used for the advanced practice level of licensure or certification. Differences between the master's and the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers will have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application Grandfather Provision: 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).All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-13 (1) Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates 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. (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. (a) Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility. (b) Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive. (c) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. (e) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; and selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action. (f) Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget. (g) Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations. 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-0185-13 Social Worker (Associate District Director of Counseling (ADD/C) . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application. 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.
