Social Worker- Caregiver Support Program Coordinator

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.

• 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• 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
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met: GS-12 Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Experience and Education
• At the GS-12 grade - you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 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
• 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
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs below: 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• 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: The social work duties include sedentary and ambulation (walking) throughout the medical center and in the community according to the demands of daily tasks
• Light carrying - less than 15 pounds-may be required as part of duties related to storing or moving files
• Working around moving objects or vehicles-required as part of daily ambulating within the medical center around patients who use motorized scooters and wheelchairs
• Working along-duties require working along at intervals during the day (i.e. - documenting progress notes - completing phone call - etc.)
• Reaching above shoulder- may be required during daily task to access files located in overhead cabinets
• Walking- required approximately 3-4 hours daily associated with walking from assigned office to outpatient clinics and other medical center departments as needed to complete duties of the position
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include: The Coordinator coordinates with other disciplines within the medical center to maintain the Veteran Assessment Clinic - for the purpose of providing a comprehensive assessment for the veterans and caregivers in the General Caregiver Support Program and seeking assistance from the program
• The Coordinator provides referral to VA medical and mental health treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits - as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs
• The Coordinator provides referrals or consults - or in some cases direct admission of a Veteran to other VA programs including but not limited to the Community Residential Care Program - Respite Program - Community Health Care Coordination Program - Hospice - Home Based Primary Care - Telehealth and Community Nursing Home Program
• Establishes collaborative relationships with physicians - nurses - and other disciplines to foster their knowledge and referrals to veterans requiring CareGiver Services
• The Coordinator serves as the major consultant for information on negotiating the complex processes caregivers - Veterans and families encounter when interacting with government and community agencies
• Conducts caregiver and family clinical interventions to facilitate the identification of caregiver stress - psychiatric illness - emotional distress and social needs as treatment issues
• The Coordinator will collaborate with the VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) - mental health and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues
• Develop a library of caregiver support information material for distribution through the various inpatient/outpatient and specialty clinic settings
• Educational material must be specific to the age group serviced in the clinic - i.e
• Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson disease in the general and geriatric settings and PTSD and TBI information in the general - OEF/OIF - post-deployment and Polytrauma Center settings
• Develop a data monitoring system to measure the efficacy of the program
• The Coordinator - in collaboration with the with other clinical staff and program managers - will establish a caregiver support protocol (resources - education and training) sensitive to the issues of the caregivers who are providing care to our youngest returning Veterans
• Identify Caregiver Stress and make appropriate referrals for VA and community resources
• Referrals may include respite care - adult day care and community nursing home programs
• The Coordinator evaluates program progress and outcomes and utilizes data to continuously modify and improve the program and processes
• Actively participates in Annual Caregiver Support National Recognition event
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 8am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date
• 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
• Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program
• Contact [email protected] for questions/assistance
• 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: Ad-hoc telework may be approved per Agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92113-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized