Senior Social Worker - Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinator

Summary

The Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Outreach Coordinator provides community outreach throughout the VA Eastern Kansas HCS catchment area - access to shelter services - rapid resolution strategies - and housing case management to Veterans who are experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness. The primary goal is to move Veterans and their families out of homelessness.

Qualifications

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:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g this part)
• 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/
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grandfathering Provision
• 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)
• Grade Determinations Social Worker (Program Coordinator): 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
• Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Program coordinators at the GS12 grade level are administratively responsible for a 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 Care Program - Suicide Prevention Program - Veterans Justice Outreach - Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing Home Program
• The program coordinator may be the sole practitioner in this specialty at the facility and typically provide direct patient care services in the program area
• The program coordinator oversees the daily operation of the program - develop policies and procedures for program operation - and prepare reports and statistics for facility - VISN - and national use
• They may be responsible for the program's budget - developing and monitoring staff compliance with practice - standards and guidelines on documentation - workload - data entry - ethical practice and service delivery
• The program coordinator provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service
• They may be responsible for - or contribute to - the program's resource and fiscal management - monitoring control points developing the annual budget - operating within that budget - and accounting for appropriated funds
• The program coordinator is administratively responsible for the clinical programming and prepares reports and statistics for facility - VISN - and national use
• They provide leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs for assigned staff
• They initiate and conduct a variety of program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports - including productivity assessments
• They oversee program operations and evaluations - identifying areas for improvement - gathering relevant data - assessing the data - developing and implementing ideas for improvement and evaluating efficacy of improvement efforts.] 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-12
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services
• Driving Requirements: The Homeless Outreach Coordinator must hold a valid - unrestricted driver's license
• See VA Handbook 5019/1 - Part II Appendix A - Employee Occupational Health Service - Medical Conditions and Criteria Covering Medical Evaluations for Motor Vehicle Operators: The CEC will need to pass a pre-employment driving physical through Occupational/Employee Health to transport Veterans in a government vehicle and must have a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Assigned Duties: Community & VA Outreach The HCHV Outreach Coordinator is responsible for outreaching the VA Eastern Kansas catchment area - which covers counties across the state with two hospitals (located at Leavenworth & Topeka) and several Community Based Outpatient clinics
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator develops working relationships with various community agencies and other governmental agencies - often serving as the VA liaison or contact person
• The incumbent has frequent contact with staff from these agencies and maintains good relationship with them that fosters interagency collaboration and allows for coordinated care for Veterans
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator develops a collaborative strategic outreach plan that targets places such as community shelters - soup kitchens - tent encampments - workforce centers - libraries - parks - and day centers
• The incumbent will be required to travel throughout the catchment area and may have periodic overnight stays
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator ay also transport Veterans for shelter placement - housing assistance - or other needs
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator has expert skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring the effectiveness of clinical care for homeless Veterans and utilizing outcome evaluations to improve the system of care
• Triage Clinic/Consults The HCHV Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for managing the HCHV Walk-in Clinic which includes daily and National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) consults
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator completes program specific coordinated entry requirements including: Eligibility determination & enrollment in VA Healthcare Completing visual Homeless Verification at outreach sites including shelters - on the streets - camp sites - cars - and abandoned buildings
• Documenting Rapid Resolution Techniques to keep Veterans from entering homelessness
• Entering data in Homeless Operations management and Evaluation System (HOMES) and local Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) as needed and in collaboration with Coordinated Entry Specialist
• Housing Case Management Veterans that are not eligible for VA or community housing programs with access to case management will require the HCHV Outreach Coordinator to assist in ending the Veteran's homelessness
• Weekly case management services are provided in shelters - on the streets - and in Veteran homes
• The HCHV Coordinator utilizes Housing First and other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement and self-efficacy and to move the Veteran out of homelessness as quickly as possible
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans - including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator has the ability to determine priority for services and provide specialized treatment services
• The HCHV Outreach Coordinator will complete training to be the designated Social Security Outreach - Access - and Recovery (SOAR) Advocate for Veterans in VAMC Homeless Program
• The incumbent will assist Veterans with the application process for Social Security disability benefits
• Work Schedule: 7:30 a.m
• - 4:00 p.m
• or 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• CST Telework: Situational / Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized