Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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 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/
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• 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)
• Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• 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
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series - they lose the grandfathering protection
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series - they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker
• Grade Determination: GS-12 Social Worker (Program Coordinator) 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities 1.Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation - negotiation - and monitoring
• 2
• Knowledge and ability to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines for the program
• 3
• Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program
• 4
• Skill in organizing work - setting priorities - meeting multiple deadlines - and evaluating assigned program area(s)
• 5
• Ability to provide training - orientation - and guidance within clinical practice
• References: VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 - Veterans Health Administration - dated September 10 - 2019
• Driver's License: Candidate must have a current state issued driver's license
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service

Duties

• Major duties include but not limited to: Ensuring that harm reduction services include offers of linkage to treatment
• Collaborating with multiple VA departments and community agencies to develop a facility syringe services program (SSP) and system(s) to increase Veteran access
• Collaborating with multiple VA departments and community agencies to develop a facility fentanyl test strip distribution system
• Consulting with Offices of Chief Counsel to determine if any SSP services/supplies are legally prohibited
• Identifying community SSP referral options for Veterans who decline or are unable to receive VA SSP services
• Identifying sources to obtain harm reduction supplies
• Serving as a local point of contact to educate Veterans and staff about the SSP
• Collaborating with the national VA HIV/SSP Affinity Group to develop new SSP resources - including veteran and staff education resources - standardized harm reduction kits - and a standardized note template
• Collaborating with local and national community harm reduction organizations for program improvement
• Evaluating SSP outcomes - implementation strategies - and lessons learned for further program improvement
• Sharing results with the HIV/SSP Affinity Group for nationwide dissemination
• Using dashboards to identify harm reduction opportunities
• Outreach to Veterans about HIV PrEP
• Supporting Medication Assisted Treatment clinics by providing education to Veterans about available services - developing outreach materials - developing and evaluating outcome measures
• Working with local colleagues to improve assessment of SUD and high risk behaviors and provide linkage to appropriate harm reduction services
• Provides direct SUD clinical services - case management - and outreach services
• Provides all necessary assessment functions - e.g
• interviewing - psychosocial histories - and SUD assessments to aid in the development of treatment plans
• Works with the Veteran to realize the Veteran's treatment goals and reassesses and revises goals as indicated by the Veteran's engagement in treatment
• Organizes and conducts individual and group case management and SUD treatment - to include early interventions and supportive follow-up to ensure stability in home visits and facility-based contacts
• Develop partnerships with community agencies
• Participate in policy making - goal setting - and treatment service planning discussions related to harm reduction services
• Provide appropriate clinical documentation for all contacts with or about Veterans
• Will be responsible for the collection of statistical data and for reviewing the data to improve performance and delivery of harm reduction services
• Provides recovery -oriented treatment with the goal of establishing the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning and quality of life
• Conduct and participate in outreach activities
• Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness
• Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in providing individual and group treatment interventions to patients presenting with a wide variety of mental health and psychosocial issues such as those diagnoses found in the most current Diagnostic Standards Manual - and particularly SMI (including PTSD) - Dual Diagnosis - personality disorders - substance abuse - and issues arising from homelessness
• Advanced knowledge and expert skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and harm reduction services
• Advanced knowledge and demonstrated ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession - demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment and intervention - Skilled administrator of structured interviews and assessments with a wide variety of patient populations - particularly Homeless Veteran populations with SUD who are also Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI) Veterans - Women Veterans - Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF/ OIF) Veterans - elderly Veterans and /or Veterans with families
• Advanced knowledge and demonstrated ability to write policies - procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to mental health services and specifically related to harm reduction services
• Expertly skilled in the recording of detailed behavioral observations and the writing of progress notes and reassessment reports
• Work Schedule: TBD - based on program needs Telework: This position is eligible for Ad-Hoc telework EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@VA.GOV - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required