Social Worker

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 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master's 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 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 At the time of appointment, the supervisor – chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification – including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline 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: Social Worker GS‑9 Social Worker Experience – Education – and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran‑centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors; (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their families – and to formulate and implement a treatment plan; (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals; (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies; (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications, side effects, and medical terminology GS‑11 Social Worker 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 health care or other social work‑related settings (VA or non‑VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level; or education – a doctoral degree in social work may substitute for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (GS‑11): (a) Knowledge of community resources and how to make appropriate referrals; (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions for a diverse range of individuals; (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses to formulate a treatment plan; (d) Skill in implementing treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups with psychiatric, medical, and social problems; (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, graduate students, and staff about psychosocial needs. Reference: 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 See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Duties Develop an assessment of the Veteran independently and/or in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team – the Veteran, family members, and significant others. The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran’s strengths, limitations, and internal/external supports and service needs to optimize the Veteran’s functional status Provide treatment planning, evaluation, and intervention with serious and complicated – highly diverse cases involving substance abuse and psychiatric illness Demonstrate an understanding of current and advanced techniques to the treatment of this Veteran population related to their physical limitations, psychological needs, psychiatric conditions, environmental needs, and age‑associated illnesses and conditions Develop the mental health treatment plan and set achievable treatment goals with the Veteran Provide independent consultation and make recommendations to the interdisciplinary team on course of treatment Complete documentation in compliance with appropriate documentation standards Maintain an acceptable level of productivity per guidelines which may include special assignments Understand the challenges of bureaucracy and act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the Veteran/family Experience in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for various types of crises including housing and financial emergencies, psychiatric relapse, potential suicide, and other high‑risk behaviors/situations Compensation and Benefits Work Schedule: Monday‑Friday – 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive Contact: View email address on click.appcast.io – EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 off 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 401(k) 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 #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs