Social Services Assistant

Summary The position is at the full performance level located at the VA San Diego Healthcare System in Social Work Service. In his/her capacity as a Social Services Assistant the incumbent engages in activities which extend the functions and support the mission of Social Work Service. One focus of this position is on the effective screening of Veterans. Responsibilities All the social workers are members of multidisciplinary teams in one of the several programs or bed services at the VASDHS. Several programs are under the organizational structure of Social Work Service, including the Transition and Care Management program, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program, the Contract Nursing Home program, Community Residential Care program, the Contract Adult Day Health care program, the Contract Homemaker/Home Health aide program, Caregiver Support program, and the Intimate Partner Violence program. Social Work Service also oversees provision of psychiatric emergency department coverage seven days/week from 7am-11pm. The Social Services Assistant is an extension of the social work staff and can perform many of the basic social work functions to maximize the effective use of time by the professional staff. Major duties are below but not limited to: Incumbent is the principal point of contact for all Veterans seeking social work services at the VA Medical Center and other office locations in the community that house social work programs. Make an assessment of their needs, identify problems, inform them of the VA services or benefits available, provide supportive counseling, refer them to appropriate programs and resources, and when needed, assist them in linking up with a Social Worker or program that can be of most assistance. Provides education/guidance and assists Veterans and family members with completing Advance Directives (Living Will/Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care) and provides guidance to patients regarding these documents. Triages incoming calls and inquiries regarding the transfer of Veterans from outside facilities to the VAMC. Ensures that all necessary information is transmitted into CPRS. Acts as the service's liaison with both local Vet Centers to ensuring that they receive all necessary administrative support. Refers Veterans to these centers as appropriate. Incumbent is an integral member of Social Work Service and participates in the formulation, structure and assessment of the policies and procedures for the service. Provides administrative support to the following clinical services: Transition and Care Management program, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program, the Contract Nursing Home program, Community Residential Care program, the Contract Adult Day Health care program, the Contract Homemaker/Home Health aide program, Caregiver Support program, and the Intimate Partner Violence program, and to the main Social Work office. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm. This can change based on need at time of hire. On-Call, Overtime, Holidays and weekends may be required. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a Virtual position. Position Title/Functional Statement #:Social Service Assistant/91613390 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorizes Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/21/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-6, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs. Counselor in a youth summer camp. Instructor in a training program for the development of job skills. Work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew. Group activities leader in the Armed Services. Unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government), employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development. Aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed at least one (1) full year of graduate level education or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, talking, driving, use of the telephone, fax machines and copy machines. Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their day-to-day activities. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at