Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP)

The Outpatient General Mental Health (GMH) Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team-based care provides Veteran-centered recovery-oriented and evidence-based care. The incumbent in this position functions as a Coordinator with supervisory responsibilities for BHIP teams and as well as providing direct clinical services to Veterans being served in the BHIP program. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Incumbent provides both administrative and clinical supervision to the staff as assigned.
• The incumbent is expected to set priorities and make assignments according to capabilities of employees and oversee personnel management functions of staff assigned. The incumbent has established guidelines and performance expectations for staff and clearly communicates them through the formal employee performance management system.
• The incumbent evaluates subordinates performance and offers instruction advice or counseling on clinical and administrative matters.
• The incumbent is responsible for monitoring compliance with social work practice standards and guidelines on documentation workload data entry ethical practice and service delivery.
• The incumbent participates in the development of functional statements/position descriptions and performance plans/standards for social workers to include core competencies and critical elements.
• The incumbent attempts to resolve complaints from employees and will refer grievances or unresolved complaints using the proper procedures.
• The incumbent effectively handles minor disciplinary measures such as warning and reprimands and recommends action in more serious cases.
• The incumbent is knowledgeable on development and training needs/competencies of employees and whenever possible will assist subordinates in addressing these needs.

• You 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 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.

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

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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 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.
• 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 meeting the basic requirements stated above the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.
  
  GS-12 Social Worker (Program Coordinator)candidates must have the following:
  • Experience and Education: One (1) 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-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/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.
  While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledges Skills Abilities and Other Characteristics (KSAOs) you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSAs for this subject position:
  1. Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation negotiation and monitoring.
  2. Knowledge and ability to write policies procedures and/or practice guidelines for the program.
  3. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
  4. Skill in organizing work setting priorities meeting multiple deadlines and evaluating assigned program area(s).
  5. Ability to provide training orientation and guidance within clinical practice.
  References: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Experience: CBOC Senior Social Worker experience.
  
  Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13 to 16 to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty. Ability to drive/operate government vehicle.
  Education

  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.
  
  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:

  Additional information

  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.

  Review our 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.