Medical Foster Home - Social Work Program Coordinator
Department: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location(s): Salisbury, North Carolina
Salary Range: $103286 - $134277 Per Year
Job Summary: The Medical Foster Home (MFH) Program Coordinator is a social worker who is responsible for maximizing psychosocial quality of life issues in order to assist veterans to remain in their home or in a less restrictive level of care other than a nursing home, and keep them out of the hospital as often as possible.
Major Duties:
- VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties Include But Are Not Limited To: Program Management. The MFH Program Coordinator is responsible for: (1) The overall function of the Medical Foster Home Program at Salisbury VAMC. The incumbent is in charge of program development, recruitment, and development of the foster homes, recruitment and placement of veteran residents, case management, development of policies and care processes, and coordination with HBPC interdisciplinary treatment teams. (2) Selecting of homes and residents, establishes intake processes, establishes oversight responsibilities, and maintains a record-keeping system for the program. (3) Marketing the model of care and reaches out to community groups and agencies to promote the foster care program. Incumbent serves as a mentor to other VA MFH program coordinators, social workers, and other interested health care providers. (4) Providing training to caregivers, students, residents, interns and fellows from other disciplines regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a medical foster home. Topics include but are not limited to caregiver and family issues and the impact of psychosocial issues and problems of the veteran in a medical foster home. Screening/Assessment (1) The program coordinator receives and completes consults from interdisciplinary teams and other social workers on complex, difficult cases, using advanced practice skills and expertise. Incumbent also provides consultation to referral sources and is responsible for development and maintenance of professional standards of practice and educating others regarding such. Documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referrals. (2) The program coordinator interviews and conducts psychosocial assessments; interviews veteran and family members and/or significant others to establish facts about the veteran's unique situation; presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health as a part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment; assesses high risk factors, acuity and need for services. The social worker interprets and explains VA treatment and benefit programs. (4) The program coordinator reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. Uses advanced clinical training, insight and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Treatment Planning Develops psychosocial treatment plans in collaboration with HBPC interdisciplinary team, including goals for psychosocial clinical treatment. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the veteran's likelihood to accept differing types of assistance, makes initial and continuing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals. Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment. These decisions are based on the social worker's advanced practice skills, professional judgment and expertise regarding the veteran's self-care capability, the family support system, the veteran's health care needs and possible consequences; including medical foster home placement. Evaluation and Management (1) The program coordinator establishes a continuing relationship with the foster home caregiver and veteran, and involved family members, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate. Meets with medical foster home caregiver, veteran, and/or family members to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals. Monitors progress, maintains comprehensive documentation, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders, and shows competent discretion in decision to adjust treatment. Makes recommendations for care and changes to interdisciplinary treatment plan. (2) Incumbent will provide the patient and/or caregivers and family members with ongoing supportive counseling. The purpose of such counseling is to deal with the psychosocial impact of coping with chronic/disabling illnesses, onset of a catastrophic illness and or dying; need for non-institutional or institutional services as needed during the course of the patient's enrollment in HBPC. The incumbent will assist patient/and/or caregivers in coping and dealing with the loss and grief experienced in chronic illness, terminal illness and death. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Qualifications: 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 master's 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 master's degree in 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 master's degree level. Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. 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). 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. 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: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/19/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12860249. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Application Deadline: 2026-01-19