Job Summary

The Medical Foster Home (MFH) Program Coordinator is a social worker who is responsible for maximizing psychosocial quality of life issues in order to assist veterans to remain in their home or in a less restrictive level of care other than a nursing home and keep them out of the hospital as often as possible. The incumbent serves veterans who tend to have serious, frequent and severe crises, lack family or an adequate community support network, and be poor at self-monitoring.

Job Description

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: 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 https://www.cswe.org/accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the 4 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/ 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). (1)All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of thisqualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for thetitle, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certificationthat are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do notmeet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualificationsapplicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisionsapply: (2)Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may bereassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, orchanged to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond thejourney level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (3)Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of thequalification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or bereappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basicrequirements of the standard. (4)Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtainadditional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basicrequirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as acondition of employment in the occupation. (5)If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) underthis provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and mustmeet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry tothe occupation. Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 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. 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) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (B) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines fort he program. (C) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (D) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (E) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Preferred Experience: At least two years at the advanced practice level to be able to provide supervision for licensure according to their issuing licensure state. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.