Summary The Social Worker Program Coordinator is the Coordinated Entry (CE) Specialist for Homeless Programs. This position enables VA homeless programs to fully collaborate with the community, including the Continuum of Care (CoC) and community partners in the coordinated entry efforts in that community. The Social Worker Program Coordinator has experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgement in clinical services for homeless Veterans. Responsibilities The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Community Outreach Division. Duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: A. Participates in CoC meetings and planning efforts which may include leadership roles within the CoC group. B. Provides direct linkage from community services to VHA homeless program services through regular and consistent outreach and communication with community providers. This includes, but is not limited to, direct linkage to VA mental health services for those Veterans who are at high risk for suicide. C. Participates in case conferencing process within the CoC's coordinated entry system to help inform and facilitate referrals to VA programs such as HUD- VASH, SSVF, HCHV CRS, and GPD. D. Ensures efficient sharing of Veteran data and program information, as allowable under VA Privacy and Information Security policies and Directives. This will include knowledge of HMIS and HOMES data standards. data sharing and privacy authorities, HUD guidance, and other applicable documents or established guidance. E. Participates and contribute to a CoC level resource and-demand analysis, including periodic review of the gaps to determine inflows/outflows, and make recommendations to VHA homeless program leadership on adjustments to resource allocations within coordinated entry based on this analysis. F. Provides support to the VA homeless program teams as a functional member of the team to include participation in outreach activities and subject matter consultation on community involved interventions for homeless Veterans. G. Serves as a member of a multidisciplinary homeless program treatment team to link treatment team discussions to the community's case conferencing discussions. ensuring continuity of care for Veterans experiencing homelessness in addition to complex physical and mental illnesses, including those at risk for suicide. H. Provides all necessary assessment functions in the service provision for homeless Veterans, e.g. interviewing, psychosocial histories and assessments to aid in the development of treatment plans as well as case conferencing discussions and planning. I. Develops partnerships with community agencies with regular contact and communication. J. Participates in policy formulation with federal partners, including VA. HUD. and USICH who have active initiatives to promote CES and community planning. The incumbent will work with local VA programs, with a special focus on HCHV, HUD- VASH. GPO. and SSVF to ensure broad-based participation in CES and community planning. K. Provides appropriate clinical documentation for all contacts with or about Veterans who are engaged through outreach services. L. Provides clinical services and appropriate clinical documentation for homeless Veterans encountered through the community's coordinated entry system or other service access points. M. Ensures timely and accurate entry into VA data systems such as HOMES and the review the data to improve performance and delivery of services to homeless Veterans and ensuring that this information is shared (in a manner consistent with VA information sharing directives) so that community Master or By-Name lists are up-to date and complete. N. Provides recovery-oriented and housing first services, with the goal of establishing the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning. Knowledge Required by the Position A. Advanced knowledge of VA and community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services with internal VA and external community providers. B. Advanced knowledge of the purpose and operations of a CoC and the CoC's responsibility for community planning and implementation of CES. C. Ability to independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members and to formulate and implement a treatment plan. D. Ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments and provide psychosocial treatment to a wide variety of individuals from various socio- economic. cultural. ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. E. Advanced knowledge and expert skill in providing outreach to homeless individuals. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 0800 am - 1630 pm Telework: As determined by agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92655-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 and driver's license physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Must possess a valid unrestricted driver's license. Qualifications Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. 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 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/. Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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. Social Worker (Program Coordinator) GS-12 (1) Experience and Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgement, 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. (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: (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 for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluation assigned program area (s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Assignments. Program Coordinators at the GS12 grade level are administratively responsible for clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a major specialty area, such as but not limited to : Spinal Cord, Injury, Homeless Continuum Veteran Program, Hospice and Palliative Are Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing home Program. Travel: 25% or less, you may be expected to travel for this position. Valid Unrestricted Driver's License required. Preferred Experience: Public speaking, managing multiple tasks, fostering community partnerships, experience writing policies and competent in Microsoft programs. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/106The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 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 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.