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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Senior Social Worker - Shelter Plus Care Near Fresno, CA

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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• 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:

GS-12 Senior Social Worker

Experience/Education: The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty.

Licensure/Certification: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice), and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-0185, Veterans Health Administration, dated September 10, 2019.

The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12.

Physical Requirements: . Physical activity involves sitting, standing, walking, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and carrying light items such as papers, books, or other supplies. The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and the Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. 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. Operation of a motor vehicle is required.

Responsibilities:

Shelter Plus Care is a case management program for chronically homeless Veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services to Veterans while residing in stable housing. The social worker is responsible for coordination of case management services for Veterans receiving housing through Shelter Plus Care. Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program funding will provide rental assistance under a supportive housing program for homeless Veterans authorized by section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937, 42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19). The initiative is known as the HUD-VASH program and was authorized pursuant to Division K, Title II, of The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. Law 110-161) ('2008 Appropriation Act') enacted on December 26, 2007 (see proviso (7) under the heading 'Tenant-Based Rental Assistance'). The HUD-VASH program combines HUD HCV rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at its medical centers and in the community.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

Providing case management for a caseload of Veterans in the Shelter Plus Care program with substance abuse. The social worker is responsible for reviewing agreements between Section 8, landlords, Public Housing Authorities, and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for Shelter Plus Care placements.

Improving professional skills, participating in planning, and executing specific staff development projects, attending seminars and institutes, and participating in training programs of other disciplines as requested.

Document all contacts with patients/families in the medical charts. Completes statistical and other reports in accordance with VA Medical Center and respective professional discipline service policies.

Working with VA Medical Center multi-disciplinary teams and community agencies to strive for developing more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services to Shelter Plus Care Program.

Providing comprehensive discipline-specific services to Veterans and their families. Responsibilities include the management, coordination, and provision of discipline specific services to Veteran and their families in inpatient, outpatient, and community settings.

Work Schedule: Monday though Friday 8:00Am-4:30PM
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:270-2568
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authoirzed
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary