Social Worker- Program Coordinator

Veterans Health Administration • Wyoming, MI

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The incumbent is a professional Social Worker assigned to Transitional Care & Specialty Social Work Service. This social worker has responsibility for the provision of social work within assigned segments of the Pain Clinic. Duties include but not limited to: Meets with Veterans for individual appointments addressing psychosocial needs in the Pain Clinic; Meets with additional Veterans for unscheduled appointments when Veterans follow up outside of scheduled appointments; completes asynchronous case management duties. Performs assessments and collaboratively develops clinically driven treatment goals, documenting them in the Pain Clinic treatment plan with input from Veterans to address psychosocial needs. Reviews social determinants of health and refers appropriately when resources and support are needed. Practices within the framework of the Stepped Care Model of Pain Management in contributing to system-wide, patient-centered, biopsychosocial pain care with other facility interdisciplinary team members. Work alongside the AMP Physical Therapist in a coordinated approach to multimodal chronic pain management within the Pain Management Team, leading the AMP program and providing evidence-based treatment interventions as an integrated team to Veterans with chronic pain. Provides comprehensive case management services, including diagnostic assessment and implementation of evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP), mindfulness, Virtual Reality (VR), and whole health modalities. Facilitates discussions with the Veteran's family regarding diagnosis, treatment and supports available. Addresses the impact of the Veteran's pain on the family system. Allocates 25% of work time to AMP program administration, including outreach to Veterans, sending materials (manuals, welcome letters), placing orders for program materials, and developing PowerPoint presentations for AMP marketing. Oversees the management and scheduling of weekly AMP cohorts including collaboration with AMSA staff on grid templates and group appointment scheduling. Acts as the primary AMP point of contact, receiving referrals, determining eligibility, conducting pre-registration screens, mailing materials, coordinating space for in-person groups, and distributing evidence-based assessments for pre- and post-program data collection.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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: (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 evaluating assigned program area(s).

Nice To Haves

• 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.
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level.
• For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified.
• At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.
• For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker.
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam.
• In states such as CA, WA, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure.
• 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).

Responsibilities

• Meets with Veterans for individual appointments addressing psychosocial needs in the Pain Clinic.
• Meets with additional Veterans for unscheduled appointments when Veterans follow up outside of scheduled appointments.
• Completes asynchronous case management duties.
• Performs assessments and collaboratively develops clinically driven treatment goals, documenting them in the Pain Clinic treatment plan with input from Veterans to address psychosocial needs.
• Reviews social determinants of health and refers appropriately when resources and support are needed.
• Practices within the framework of the Stepped Care Model of Pain Management in contributing to system-wide, patient-centered, biopsychosocial pain care with other facility interdisciplinary team members.
• Works alongside the AMP Physical Therapist in a coordinated approach to multimodal chronic pain management within the Pain Management Team, leading the AMP program and providing evidence-based treatment interventions as an integrated team to Veterans with chronic pain.
• Provides comprehensive case management services, including diagnostic assessment and implementation of evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP), mindfulness, Virtual Reality (VR), and whole health modalities.
• Facilitates discussions with the Veteran's family regarding diagnosis, treatment and supports available.
• Addresses the impact of the Veteran's pain on the family system.
• Allocates 25% of work time to AMP program administration, including outreach to Veterans, sending materials (manuals, welcome letters), placing orders for program materials, and developing PowerPoint presentations for AMP marketing.
• Oversees the management and scheduling of weekly AMP cohorts including collaboration with AMSA staff on grid templates and group appointment scheduling.
• Acts as the primary AMP point of contact, receiving referrals, determining eligibility, conducting pre-registration screens, mailing materials, coordinating space for in-person groups, and distributing evidence-based assessments for pre- and post-program data collection.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
• Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

What This Job Offers

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