Social Worker-HUD VASH

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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.
• 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 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/.
  • Exception: VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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).

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 - GS-9

• Experience, Education and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAS:
  • Ability to utilize Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
  • Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths , weaknesses, coping skills and assistance needed.
  • Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgement and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
  • Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effectives/side effects; and medical terminology.

Social Worker GS-11

• Experience and Licensure: Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of a health care or other social worker-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3C.

OR

• Education: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAS:
  • Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
  • Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds.
  • Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan.
  • Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals.
  • Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.

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 in the range of GS-9 to GS-11.

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.

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• The incumbent coordinates and provides services for Veterans who are struggling with issues of homelessness or are in danger of becoming homeless.
• The incumbent will function in a community-based program delivering services with multiple responsibilities and accountability requirements.
• The incumbent will provide supportive case management services and partner with community agencies to link access to community-wide housing services for Veterans.
• The incumbent will provide services such as psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, individual, group, and family therapy, discharge planning and follow up crisis intervention, case management, resource development and coordination related to these services as clinically indicated.
• The incumbent develops working relationships with other organizations and directly coordinates with the designated PHA regarding housing voucher application and award processing for each veteran. The incumbent is responsible for coordination between Section 8 landlords, PHAs, and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for patients.
• The incumbent establishes, implements and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD/VASH veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center health services and residential programs.
• The incumbent provides referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs included Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Supportive Employment (SE).
• The incumbent maintains and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate represents VA at community service provider meetings. A home visit to the Veteran's residence once housed is determined by clinical need and according to Handbooks and other directives.
• The incumbent evaluates the veteran's situation, abilities and capabilities and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and prioritization for admission.
• The incumbent develops psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment.
• The incumbent provides direct mental health and substance abuse services for veterans and family members or significant others in support of the veteran's treatment.
• The incumbent must possess a current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary.

Other duties as assigned.


Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Salary : $64,501 - $200,000