The incumbent provides services to Veterans in the community and helps engage them in appropriate treatment along the continuum of care. They conduct outreach to homeless Veterans throughout New Jersey, develop agreements with community providers, and coordinate homeless programs such as Outreach, HUD-VASH, Vocational Rehabilitation, Health Care for Reentry, and Transitional Housing.
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/. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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). Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work. Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator) GS-13 Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs. (a) Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility. (b) Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive. (c) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (d) Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care. (e) 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. (f) 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. (g) Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-13. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include, but are not limited, to: Provides clinical and administrative oversight for VA NJ Homeless Programs and ensures high-quality, Veteran-centered services. Conducts outreach, engagement, assessment, and case management for homeless and at-risk Veterans across the continuum of care. Coordinates program services including Homeless Outreach, HUD-VASH, HCRV, Vocational Rehabilitation, Homeless Domiciliary, and Transitional Housing. Develops individualized treatment plans, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, and ensures appropriate placement in community and VA resources. Serves as supervisor for Social Workers and Homeless Program staff, assigning work, monitoring performance, approving leave, and resolving complaints. Ensures compliance with VA policies, documentation standards, accreditation requirements (JCAHO, CARF, VACO), and regulatory guidelines. Provides onboarding, training, mentorship, and professional development for staff and students; oversees competency and mandatory training compliance. Reviews and evaluates documentation, workload, performance measures, and program data for accuracy and quality. Conducts program planning, prepares reports, forecasts staffing and resource needs, and monitors budget and operational requirements. Develops and implements program policies, procedures, and quality improvement initiatives to enhance service delivery. Collaborates with internal services, community partners, and local/state Continuums of Care to coordinate resources and maintain strong partnerships. Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings, case conferences, committees, and facility planning activities. Provides consultation to leadership regarding program operations, new initiatives, and service gaps impacting homeless Veterans. Manages complex cases requiring advanced clinical skills, crisis intervention expertise, and coordination with community agencies. Oversees leave approvals, timekeeping responsibilities, and administrative actions for supervised staff. Ensures staff compliance with safety regulations, competency requirements, and performance management expectations. Leads program evaluation efforts, analyzes outcomes, and recommends changes to improve Veteran access and service effectiveness. Supports field instruction for social work students and participates in staff education activities. Performs additional duties as assigned to support Social Work Service and Homeless Programs. Additional Duties as Assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 24130-F