Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Admissions SUD
Job Location:
Fayetteville, GA - USA
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval award amount (up to $200000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.
Social Worker (Program Coordinator) functions as the clinical Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder evaluator for the SUD Admissions/Intake team and works from the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville AR.. This position is not remote.
Duties include but not limited to:
Responsible for evaluation and coordination of the referrals to the appropriate level of care whether outpatient intensive outpatient sober living longer term residential rehabilitation treatment or other more appropriate referrals such as Compensated Work Therapy Homeless or Community Living settings as indicated.
Arranges referrals or services on behalf of the Veteran to assure that necessary appropriate and timely clinical services are offered/received.
Interviews/educates Veterans referring providers Veterans family members/significant others as well as appropriate clinical personnel to establish facts about the Veterans situation strengths needs abilities preferences presenting problems and their causes and the impact of such problems on the veterans functioning as part of a comprehensive screening process.
Coordinates day-to-day functions of the admissions/intake for multiple programs leading procedure compliance with prescriber nursing other addictions therapists clinical pharmacist etc. as indicated facilitating best care/resources for variety of clinically challenging patients requiring outpatient to residential placement into programming that provides support and services for homelessness substance use disorder comorbid mental health needs vocational and related psychiatric and medical conditions.
May also assist/guide IOP or RRTP staff with completing psychosocial assessments Suicide Screening/Comprehensive Suicide Risk Assessment Suicide Prevention Safety Planning Veteran Recovery Treatment Planning case management and discharge planning collaborating with Veteran Justice Outreach family other providers other placements as needed.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the facility)
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): not authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave 13 days of sick leave 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth adoption or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment full time employees with a total family income below $144000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized
- 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.
- 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 drivers 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 evaluation.
- 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.
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Basic Requirements:
1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
2. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
3. Education. VHA Social Worker must have a masters 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
4. 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 masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Social Worker (Program Coordinator) 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.
Examples of specialized experience at the GS-11 include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse neglect exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members identifying the patients strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity.
Candidate may have certification or other post-masters 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: 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 knowledge skills and abilities (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 with working in MH field.
- Experience and interest in treating substance use disorder (SUD) with challenging co-morbid conditions
- Enjoys outpatient residential care and case management.
- Participation as a member of multi-disciplinary treatment team.
- Skilled at multi-tasking and working under the pressure of multiple responsibilities with deadlines
- Excellent customer service skills (internal and external customers)
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for this occupation see duty section for essential duties of this position. May require standing lifting carrying sitting stooping bending pulling and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted heated and ventilated. However the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once and sometimes stressful situations.
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: 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:
Receiving Service Credit for 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.
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 applicants 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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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.
Required Experience:
IC
