Social Worker (Program Coordinator) - Outpatient Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

Veterans Health Administration • Omaha, NE

9d

About The Position

The Social Worker Program Coordinator is a member of a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team and provides clinical social work services in an outpatient mental health clinic. The role participates in weekly interdisciplinary case reviews and supports patients with complex health and psychosocial needs, exercising independence, case management, clinical oversight, and creative problem solving. The coordinator is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modifying service patterns, and collaborates with the outpatient mental health clinical nurse manager, social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists to coordinate patient care.

The position includes coordinating and maintaining the MHTC program and functions across the NWI Health Care System, supervising MHTCs and other social workers as appropriate, and coordinating care for veterans with complex, multilayered problems. The role may provide supervision to social work students or less experienced social workers when appropriate.

This is a permanent GS-12 position with a Monday–Friday schedule of 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., which may be negotiated. Schedule adjustments, including weekends, may be needed to meet patient care needs, and the position participates in an on-call rotation. It is not a virtual position; ad-hoc telework is indicated. Recruitment and relocation incentives and permanent change-of-station assistance are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to individual eligibility and approval; the program may provide up to $200,000 over a one-to-five-year eligibility period.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• Current state licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• For the GS-12 Social Worker (Program Coordinator) grade, one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 demonstrating advanced practice skills, judgment, and progressively greater professional competency.
• Advanced-practice-level licensure or certification and ability to provide supervision for licensure in the state where licensed; any additional state-required supervision qualifications must be documented.
• Knowledge of program coordination and administration, including consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
• Knowledge and ability to write program policies, procedures, or practice guidelines.
• Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
• Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program areas.
• Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.
• Submit a transcript with the application; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
• Must meet the position's pre-employment, background/security, onboarding, identification, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• Certification or other post-master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum or course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.
• A written demonstration of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities in the application package is strongly recommended.
• Prior work or military service may be considered for annual leave accrual credit, subject to request and approval.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments for veterans and families.
• Participate actively in interdisciplinary treatment planning.
• Provide individual, family, couples, and group counseling or psychotherapy using evidence-based approaches as appropriate.
• Develop and coordinate timely and appropriate discharge plans.
• Educate patients on community resources, VA benefits, and advance directives.
• Consult with team members and medical residents on social work practice.
• Provide case management across the continuum of care, including in ER and Urgent Care settings.
• Serve as a liaison to community agencies and participate in outreach, public relations, and veteran education events.
• Facilitate support groups and wellness and prevention education.
• Supervise social work students or less experienced social workers when appropriate.
• Participate in committees, workgroups, and quality improvement activities.
• Maintain required data and statistical information to comply with JCAHO/TJC, VA, and medical center policies.
• Provide grief and loss support for veterans and significant others.
• Document interventions and ensure appropriate clinical handoff in CPRS.
• Participate in the on-call rotation and adjust the schedule, including weekends, to meet patient care needs.
• Provide standard social work services, including casework, crisis intervention, and psychotherapy.
• Supervise MHTCs across NWI and other social workers as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain MHTC program and functions across the NWI Health Care System.
• Provide care coordination to veterans presenting with complex, multilayered problems.
• Coordinate and oversee clinical program effectiveness and modify service patterns.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child care subsidy may be available to qualifying full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility requirements.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Potential annual leave accrual credit for qualifying prior federal work or military service, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior