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Summary Social Worker Program Manager serves as the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of the Mental Health Service (MHS) for the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS). This position is responsible for setting overall goals for the Mental Health Service that comply and support Veterans Administration (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and CAVHS strategic goals and objectives. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: The incumbent directs all activities of the MHS, to include budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning, clinical end administrative program development, management and evaluation of services and programs, and ensuring that the clinical and administrative functions are integrated to provide optimum utilization of resources. Incumbent participates in management discussions, policymaking, provide program direction to other directors, managers, and assigned personnel within the MHS and makes sound decisions in line with law, federal regulations, and policy. The incumbent actively participates in the development of overall management goals, objectives, and philosophies necessary for the attainment of optimum system efficiency and effectiveness in providing recovery focused holistic health care to the Veteran population. The incumbent provides input, advice, and counsel for system strategic planning, programming, budgeting, general administration, and other areas as appropriate. Mental Health Service is one of the largest, most complex services, with more than 460 employees working in multiple locations across the State of Arkansas. The ACOS/MHS provides clinical and administrative oversight of multiple programs throughout the healthcare system and functions as the primary advisor to the Chief of Staff and Medical Center Director on all Mental Health programs. In this capacity, the ACOS/MH has responsibility for the effective and efficient management of all Mental Health programs and services. The ACOS/MH ensures timely delivery of patient-centered care that includes assessment, diagnosis, and management of Mental Health disorders (including pharmacotherapy) through a broad range of treatment programs. At CAVHS, Mental Health Service programs include: two distinct Acute Inpatient Psychiatry programs, a general Mental Health Outpatient Clinic (with specialty programming for Eating Disorders), specialty Mental Health programs including outpatient and residential PTSD programs, a full spectrum of Substance Use Disorder programs (including ambulatory detox, both residential and Intensive Outpatient Programs and outpatient aftercare), a Homeless Day Treatment Center (including HUD/VASH, Grant and Per Diem, Housing First-ACT), Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Program, Suicide Prevention, Primary Care Behavioral Health, Emergency Services, Neuropsychology, a Health Psychology Section, a Military Sexual Trauma program, Tele-Mental Health, and a range of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (including Supported Employment). CAVHS is the home of a 179-bed Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program with a broad scope of specialty Mental Health programs and treatment for homeless Veterans. A full range of mental health services are available in all eight CBOC locations which are staffed by mental health providers. The ACOS/MH is responsible for the clinical care delivered by the four core disciplines of Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing and Social Work, as well as the services delivered by Occupational Therapy , Recreational Therapy and other disciplines. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. subject to change based on the needs of the service. Possible weekends, nights, or holidays to ensure consistency of veteran care within Service. Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): not available Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): not available Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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: not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 598-01337F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not available 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. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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. 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Experience/ Education. The social work program manager at the GS-15 grade level must have at least four years of experience as a VA clinical social worker with at least one-year equivalent to the GS-14 grade level. The social work program manager must evidence possession of progressively higher supervisory and management skills. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. The 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. The social work manager must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must fully meet the KSAs for the GS-14 grade level and demonstrate all the following professional KSAs: (a) Ability to manage and direct unusually large interdisciplinary programs, complex organizational units, apply effective management practices, plan, design, implement, and evaluate a program(s) that encompasses a wide range of facility/healthcare system/VISN/CO activities. (b) Ability to oversee issues related to budget projections and participate with senior leaders from the governing body, management and staff in upholding the facility mission, vision, value and strategic plan to include directly interacting with elected officials on VA related issues/concerns (i.e., members of Congress, Veterans Service Organizations, State and Local entities). (c) Knowledge in establishing policy, procedures and quality monitors while considering multiple priorities, funding sources, and varying resources. (d) Skill in assessing need for basic and complex services across multiple programmatic patient care venues, coordinate and expand the efforts of multiple program elements across a complex system. (e) Knowledge to complete all program evaluations and documents required by the medical center, VISN and VHA Central Office, ensuring compliance with appropriate accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission (TJC), Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). (f) Ability to orient, teach and serve as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assists in their formulation of the clinical social work characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding Veterans, family members and caregivers. (g) Skill in balancing responsibilities in a complex environment and to work with great autonomy, set priorities and delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines; analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions for those problems. (h) Ability to promote and effectively manage a culturally diverse workforce which embraces the values and needs of all individuals through long-term commitment, strategic and business planning, education, experience which broadens the mindset and by fully managing human resources. Preferred Experience: Five or more years of leadership or supervisory experience. Skills collaborating with health care teams across services and teams. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 15. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for this occupation, see duty section for essential duties of this position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once and sometimes stressful situations. Education 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 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.