Social Worker

Summary

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System is currently seeking a qualified Social Worker to join the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. HUD-VASH is a comprehensive case management program dedicated to assisting chronically homeless and at-risk Veterans by providing integrated biopsychosocial services and supporting veterans in maintaining stable housing through the HUD Section 8 voucher program.

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
• Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work
• Licensure
• Must have license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• **Exception - For assignments at the GS-9 level - VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Grade Determinations: GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above
• Candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a 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 judgment 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 effects/side effects
• and medical terminology
• GS-11 Experience/Education: Candidates must possess at least one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings
• or a Doctoral degree
• Additionally - candidates must demonstrate the following KSA's: 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 - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience working with individuals and/or Veterans experiencing homelessness - including familiarity with resources available to Veterans and homeless individuals - as well as knowledge of HUD and housing rules and regulations
• Experience in case management
• The full performance level of this vacancy is SG-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: Work is sedentary but also demands standing - walking - bending - twisting - and carrying light items.
  
  

Duties

• The social worker is responsible for providing case management services for a caseload of Veterans in the HUD-VASH Program - with frequency based on their needs and acuity level
• Responsible for reviewing agreements between Section 8 - landlords - Public Housing Authorities - contracted agencies - and the VA to establish suitable referral sites for HUD-VASH placements
• Performs residential site visits of HUD-VASH housing to ensure Veterans live in safe environments that comply with local housing codes and regulations
• Verifies Veteran's status - eligibility for VA medical care - and participation eligibility in the HUD-VASH program
• Routine travel for home visits is required - utilizing a government-issued vehicle for work-related travel
• Establishes and maintains positive relationships with employees - volunteers - VA staff - and external community agencies
• Provides comprehensive biopsychosocial and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) assessments - integrating findings into care plans with the interdisciplinary team - Veteran - family - and significant others
• Highlights the Veteran's strengths - limitations - supports - and service needs to optimize functional status and support safe home living
• Coordinates community-based services - including referrals for additional VA programs and other government/community agencies
• Has knowledge of Veterans' benefits and services related to special programs - unemployability - service-connected compensation - and non-service-connected pensions
• Provides education on VA resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will - and refers Veterans/families to appropriate team members for health education
• Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines - ensuring timely and appropriate execution of discharge plans
• Independently identifies and prioritizes high-risk patients - offers case management - risk assessments - and safety planning per agency policies
• Assists patients and their loved ones with coping with loss - grief - disability - terminal illness - and death
• Collects and submits HUD-VASH participant data as required by directives - SOPs - or agency policies
• Participates in a rotation of Social Worker of the Day to provide clinic coverage for HUD-VASH Veterans
• Participates in committee assignments as directed by supervisors or program coordinators
• Collaborates in performance improvement initiatives such as peer reviews and complies with VA performance measures/metrics
• Completes all mandatory training requirements promptly and pursues ongoing professional development through continuing education relevant to their role
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 07:30 a.m
• - 4:00 p.m
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized