Senior Social Worker (HUD-VASH)

Summary

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

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education: You must 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 or Certification: You 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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker - GS-12: Licensure Requirement: You 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 must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• AND Experience Requirement: You must possess 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
• Examples of specialized experience include - but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• use of clinical social work skills
• maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies - handbooks or directives
• acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members - identifying the patient's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health.
  
  

Duties

• This Senior Social Worker (HUD-VASH) position is within the Mental Health Service within VA White River Junction Healthcare System at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic located at the Burlington - Vermont location
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Senior Social Workers assigned to the HUD-VASH Program have specialized clinical expertise in an area applicable to the HUD-VASH program - such as care to Veterans experiencing homelessness - care to Veterans recovering from trauma - experience in the treatment of mental illness or experience with evidence-based treatment modalities
• In addition to the duties of a HUD-VASH case manager - the Senior Social Worker provides leadership on a team - as part of a workgroup or in implementing an initiative
• The incumbent provides clinical supervision to unlicensed Social Workers and students or otherwise are responsible for training less-experienced staff within the HUDVASH program
• He/she represents VA in workgroups - participation in community committees or Continuum of Care boards - and by-name list or Coordinated Entry meetings
• The incumbent is responsible for an administrative aspect of the program - such as voucher utilization - data tracking or facilitating the portability process and will work closely with homeless programs staff at all levels to facilitate knowledge sharing - recommendations for system improvement and assessment of need
• Duties include but are not limited to: Providing leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs
• Clinical program development and accountability for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatments
• Providing outreach services to engage homeless Veterans - to include building collaborations with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure service delivery methods and service patterns match the identified patient need
• Independently conducting interviews and assessments for the purpose of program enrollment and to aid in the development of treatment plans
• Utilizing Housing First and other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement and self-efficacy
• Assisting the Veteran with housing placement - beginning with the process of obtaining a HUD-VASH voucher from the Public Housing Authority (PHA) through the lease up process
• Advocating on behalf of Veterans and their families with landlords - PHAs - community providers and VA Programs
• Conducting home visits - with the intent of removing barriers for access to care - supporting housing stability and assessing social and community integration
• Providing a wide range of Social Work interventions and services in both individual or group settings - to include psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• Performs additional duties as assigned and outlined in the position description
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Hannah Neilson at Hannah.Neilson@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior work experience or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Functional Statement #: F08185 at GS-12
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Notifications: (Continued in the Additional Information Section) This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a special rate.