Social Worker (Program Coordinator)

Description:

The incumbent serves as the Social Work Program Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders Case Manager. The Social Worker may provide services on an inpatient and outpatient basis as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team. The mission of the VHA SCI/D System of Care is to support, promote, and maintain the health, independence, quality of life, and productivity of individuals with SCI/D throughout their lives.

Requirements:

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed.
• 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 Master of Social Work.
• Licensure. Social Workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

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:
  • Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
  • Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
  • Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
  • Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
  • Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in medical Social Work
• Inpatient Case Management experience
• Ability to conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments and treatment planning
• Complex discharge planning
• Experience working on an interdisciplinary team
• Prior work care coordination
• Complex discharge planning
• Preferred experience with spinal cord injuries, ALS, polytrauma
• Preferred experience in geriatric social work

Physical Requirements: The work is moderately demanding physically. At times, the employee sits comfortably while working at a station. At other times, the employee may be intervening with VA and community stakeholders on Inpatient Units and in the community. The incumbent is required to have a valid driver's license, and must meet VA requirements to drive a government vehicle. Travel within Denver Metro area may be required. Ability to complete a Basic Life Support (BLS) course is a position requirement.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G39. Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-185.