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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. 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. Learn more 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. 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-185 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 on the OHRM website. (Advanced practice clinical licensure is required at the GS-12 grade level) English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met to qualify for this series at the GS-12 grade level: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 (1) 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. (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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) 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.] References: VA Handbook 5005/50, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard. A copy can by obtained at the local HR office. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs. or more), straight pulling (6 hours), pushing (2 hours), use of fingers, walking (6 hours), standing (2 hours), repeated bending (6 hours), operation of motor vehicle, ability to distinguish basic colors, Hearing (aid permitted), working with hands in water, working closely with others. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. ["This Social Worker is assigned to Community Living Center Programs at VA Puget Sound Health Care System located in Washington with responsibility to provide direct services for Veterans, their families and caregivers. VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings. VAPSHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Seattle, Washington, outpatient and residential facilities at American Lake Campus in Tacoma, Washington, and six Community Based Outpatient Clinics. VAPSHCS is an academic medical facility with significant teaching and research programs.\nMajor Duties and Responsibilities of the position: Conducts psychosocial and MDS assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members. Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. Provides individual, family, and group counseling as appropriate. Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources, advance directives, and VA benefits. Provides consultation/education to medical residents on social work practice and VA policy and procedures. Act as liaison between VA and community resources, to include marketing and public relation duties as needed. Provides case management to Veterans and families, as needed, throughout the continuum of care, including facilitation of IDT meetings. Provides a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice which includes case work, individual, family and group counseling, discharge planning, case management and other services as appropriate. Addresses Advance Directives in accordance with the standards of their work area. Provides wellness/prevention education and facilitate Patient/family support groups as appropriate. Coordinates treatment and communicate with the care lines to facilitate continuity of care for Veterans. Participates in committee assignments, as deemed necessary by the service manager. Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with TJC, LTCI, VA and medical center policy and procedures. Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with the loss and grief experiences in disability, terminal illness and death. Documents social work interventions and activities in patients clinical record and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care. Facilitates and coordinates admissions to the CLC units at both the Seattle and American Lake VA sites. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0800 - 1630, Tacoma Division\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP Authorized: Please contact the EDRP Coordinator, Stacy Hermann @ V20CompensationTeam@va.gov.\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]