Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Veteran Directed Care

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties may include but not limited too:

• Responsible for the overall program development management operations and evaluation of the Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program.
• Coordinates the work responsibilities of clinical and support staff assigned to the program. Ensures that staff understand and adhere to program directives policies and standards.
• Oversees the screening approval modification and recertification of services for Veterans in the program and ensures that Veterans approved for services meet VA eligibility requirements. Tracks pending consults and ensures action is taken within the timeframes specified in the Lexington VAMC VISN 9 and VHA consult management policies. Ensures recertification of services is completed in a timely manner.
• Establishes and maintains an effective working relationship with staff at the Area Agencies on Aging and Disability (AAAD) which provide VDC services to Veterans in the Lexington VAMC catchment area as well as any state agencies which provide oversight to the AAADs. Maintains continuous communication with AAAD staff to ensure appropriate services are provided to Veterans in the program. Establishes contact with other AAADs to expand the program to geographic areas not currently served. Acts as a liaison as needed between AAAD staff and other VA services (to include Community Care and Payment Operations Management) to ensure the program operates smoothly.
• Assists with establishing and maintaining the annual VDC budget.
• Collaborates with Payment Operations Management staff to ensure that payments to VDC agencies are made in a timely manner and in compliance with VA standards. Provides review follow-up and appropriate documentation of all complaints regarding the program. Tracks program data. Organizes and prepares reports for service leadership the health system director VISN 9 GEC Lead and VA Central Office.
• Conducts outreach to Lexington VAMC staff to market the program. Provides formal and informal education to VA staff on any changes to VA or Lexington VAMC policy and procedures concerning the program.
• Attends and participates in monthly and quarterly conference calls and training programs related to the VDC program. Communicates with coordinators at other VA healthcare systems to exchange information and resources.
• Independently conducts psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diverse backgrounds. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions.
• Provides crisis intervention services seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint coordinates family conferences and serves as a liaison to family members.
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. Incumbent can independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems utilizing individual group and family counseling and therapy skills.
• Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services.
• Other duties as assigned

• 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/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.

• 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:

• 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).
• 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: Social Worker (Program Coordinator) GS-12
  Experience and Education Requirement: 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-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 Requirement: 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 you must demonstrate the following 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).
  (e) 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 programs 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 programs 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.
  
  Preferred Experience: Prior experience with Care in the Community and care Coordination Veteran directed Care experience. Demonstrated experience working with interdisciplinary teams and community partners. Social work experience preferably in health care or with veterans.
  
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
  
  Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be in overall good health able to sit at a desk working at a computer engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting walking bending and carrying supplies. The incumbent must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands with reasonable accommodation if necessary without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center standing for extended periods of time involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Position may require travel to the community to meet with Veterans and caregivers or with community agencies and partners who aid and/or help its Veterans and caregivers. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists hands and/or fingers.
  Education

  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

  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.

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  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.