Social worker- whole health and employee well-being program coordinator

Summary

The Social Worker (Whole Health and Employee Wellbeing Program Coordinator) is a member of the Whole Health team (aligned under Geriatric & Extended Care) with duties across VAEKHCS (primarily Topeka and Leavenworth campuses). The incumbent develops and carries out the strategic plan for Whole Health programming and employee wellbeing, overseeing all facility-wide Whole Health operations. This position is 70% administrative and with 30% clinical duties.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:

Administrative Responsibilities -70%

• Assess organizational Whole Health needs and lead strategic planning
• Analyze organizational challenges affecting employee wellbeing and Whole Health culture.
• Conduct needs assessments, gather employee feedback, and use data to shape core program components.
• Implement, monitor, and revise the Whole Health strategic plan across EKHCS hospitals and CBOCs.
• Ensure Whole Health initiatives are aligned with system goals, including HRO and Organizational Health Board priorities.
• Lead Whole Health governance, committees, and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Chair the Employee Whole Health Committee.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary staff, supervisors, senior leaders, union partners, and external agencies to advance Whole health and employee wellbeing across the agency.
• Coordinate Whole Health clinical integration, supporting Integration Champions and cross-department effort.

Develop, manage, and improve Whole Health programs and services

• Oversee, evaluate, and improve Whole Health offerings for employees and Veterans, including CIH programming.
• Manage operations for Whole Health spaces (gyms, rooms, fairs, care carts) and coordinate new program development.
• Lead pilots and special projects in collaboration with facility leadership, research partners, and community agencies.
• Use digital feedback systems to evaluate programming and drive quality improvement.

Ensure compliance, accreditation, and policy development

• Write and maintain policies, standards of work, memorandums of understanding, and procedures.
• Ensure program compliance with VHA directives, VISN guidelines, medical center policies, Union Master Agreements, JC and OIG regulations, and other accrediting bodies.
• Oversee quality improvement initiatives and meet standards required for accreditation.

Manage reporting, evaluation, and communication

• Complete timely local, VISN, and national reports, including progress updates and evaluations.
• Monitor strategic implementation progress and present updates to EKHCS leadership, VISN, and OPCC&CT.
• Develop and implement communication and marketing strategies in collaboration with Communications/Public Affairs, including managing updates to SharePoint, external websites, social media interfaces, and community newsletters.

Plan, deliver, and coordinate Whole Health education and engagement activities

• Develop and deliver classes, seminars, and workshops on Whole Health topics.
• Respond to supervisory requests for Whole Health presentations that support employee wellbeing education and implementation within service lines.
• Educate new employees and providers on Whole Health through New Employee Orientation, New Provider Academy and New Supervisor Orientation as they onboard to VAEK.
• Provide outreach and public speaking to promote Whole Health locally and in the community.

Provide administrative and operational leadership

• Provide leadership input for staffing processes, including assisting with recruitment and candidate selection.
• Manage development of CPRS templates, coding/business practice updates, and referral systems.
• Develop processes to measure Whole Health clinical, business, and system outcomes.

Build community partnerships and broaden Whole Health access

• Liaise with community partners, healthcare programs, Volunteer Services, and external agencies.
• Manage MOUs, community offerings, outreach strategies, and marketing to Veterans not yet enrolled in VA care.
• Partner with Suicide Prevention Program and Veteran Homeless Program to advance Whole Health and patient safety.
• Other duties as assigned.

Provision of Care for Employees, Veteran Employees, and Veteran Patients - 30%

Provides a full range of Whole Health services for both employees and Veterans (provisioning time allocations for each under the guidance of the Whole Health Clinical Director). Assumes complete professional responsibility for care activities, decisions, and documentation. Services may include collaborative assessment of health behaviors, personal health planning, health coaching, or other direct services commensurate with WHEW-PC's background, training, and experience. Provides direct care to patients to enhance Complementary and Integrative Health services, which includes but is not limited to meditation/guided imagery, biofeedback, and hypnosis.

Work Schedule

Monday- Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework

This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #

000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

Not Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of employment 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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. 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 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 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. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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 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. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the 4 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 master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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 (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) 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.

Preferred Experience

Program development, data management, and program implementation.

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-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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 applicant's 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 window Learn 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.