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Summary The Acute/Medical Social Worker (Program Coordinator) provides psychosocial, and case management, discharge planning services to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social and environmental needs on the Acute Care Medical/Surgical Units. Is the supervisor and subject matter expert for the employees in that workgroup. Veterans treated come from a wide geographic area with needs that require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem-solving. Responsibilities Choose VA: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz\_ua\_UU The Program Coordinator for Medical/Acute Care Social Work at this 1b facility serves as a liaison to other services or care-lines within the organization related to Social Work Service, Medicine, Nursing and other allied health professions. Is responsible for the management of the administrative/ operations of outpatient and inpatient medical social work services. They have responsibility for coordinating social work service staff, work assignments, treatment services provided and operationalizing Veteran access to all services within medical social work Incumbent will oversee the practice of the Social Work Service staff in inpatient Palliative Care, Transplant, Acute Care/Discharge planning, CLC/Inpatient Hospice and Specialty Medical at the main facility and all CBOCs other than Rockford. Performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised. Establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff. Observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Resolving informal complaints and grievances and effects disciplinary measures as appropriate. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave requests. Develops consistent standard operating procedures required to accomplish clinical care interventions and ensures that they are followed. Responsible for developing education materials for Social Work Service staff. Assist the Chief of Social Work to develop and monitor standards of clinical practice/standards of care for medical social work, including development of care guidelines, manuals, and guides to professional practice. As the supervisor, will assist in planning, establishing, and implementing policies and procedures, developing individual or group goals and objectives as well as monitoring, operating, evaluating, coordinating and overseeing the medical social work service staff. The incumbent will assure the staff they supervise are aware of, adhere to all current directives of VHA, and meet current Joint Commission standards, State licensure standards, and VA-OIG expectations. Completes ongoing reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies. And also provides direct clinical services when needed. Administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to patients. Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, inpatient days, patient demographics, equipment utilization and patient satisfaction. Develops implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services. Assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of the safety regulations. Implements and monitors The Joint Commission (TJC) and CARF standards and coordinates with other mental health and social work accredited programs. Performs a wide range of services and provides technical assistance to State, local, and private agencies, and universities. In addition, uses sound judgment in the interpretation of trends and patterns; the application of guidelines; and the recommendation of program enhancements. Performs program analysis, development, review, research, design, and contact work as possible with various agencies (public, DOD, state, etc.). Work Schedule: Full-Time; Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Compressed Schedule: May be considered on a case by case basis and are dependent on patient care needs or needs of the department. Telework: May be available Ad Hoc and may be considered based on the needs of Veterans and the department Travel: Intermittent travel up to 25% may be required. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): Eligible 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 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 15 days of the closing date of this announcement, 06/05/2025. 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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Eligible candidates must meet possess a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in 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. Exception: This exception only applies at the entry grade level (GS-9). VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations for a period not to exceed three years from the date of employment. Grandfathering Provision: 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. 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. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. It may require some lifting (10-20 lbs.) occasionally. Reaching above shoulder; Frequent keyboarding (4-7 hours per day); Sitting (4-7 hours per day); Walking up to 6 hours per day); Standing (up to 8 hours per day); Infrequent climbing/descending of stairs; Some bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-13 Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met: Experience and Education. Must possess one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. Individual 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 supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA): Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility. Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. 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. 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. Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations. Assignment. 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. At this grade level, social worker program coordinators oversee the administrative and clinical aspects of a major specialty treatment program, such as, but not limited to: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Home-Based Primary Care, Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Caregiver Support Program or Transition and Care Management Program, or a combination of programs located at one facility or multiple divisions of a facility. They are responsible for coordinating interdisciplinary staffing, work assignments, budget, treatment services provided, and admission criteria for the program. The program coordinator may or may not have supervisory responsibilities. They have full responsibility for all phases of service delivery for a major specialty program. The program coordinator is responsible for the program's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds. They are administratively responsible for the programming and operations of the program assigned, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. Program coordinators provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned staff. They initiate and conduct program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity. Program coordinators 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.] Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Preferred Experience: Inpatient/Acute Care Medical Social Work References: VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) The full Performance level of the GS-0185 Social Worker -Program Coordinator job series is GS-13. The actual grade at which a candidate may be selected for this vacancy is only the GS-13 grade level. 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/. 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 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 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.