Social Worker

Summary The incumbent is a professional clinical social worker providing direct services to individuals and families, including work with individuals and in groups. The incumbent is assigned to the 4 East Unit (Med/Surg) and to the Urgent Care Unit. The incumbent may have collateral duties and programs as assigned. The incumbent will provide coverage to Outpatient SW, CLC, and HBPC during periods of absence of co-workers and as needed. Responsibilities Position requires the ability to independently conduct psychosocial assessments of a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, lifestyle, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Position requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and lifestyle. Incumbent possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions. Independently caries inpatient and outpatient care activities in full accordance with the broad program goals of the VA health care system. Within these broad categorizations, the incumbent must tailor patient care/support services to meet the needs of individual patients. This includes responsibility for assessment of each patient's needs, and delivery of services, which are responsive to the concerns of individual patients to the extent possible. Incumbent possesses the advanced practice skills to independently make a psychosocial diagnosis and offer psychosocial interventions and then measures outcomes to interventions. The social worker participates in daily interdisciplinary care planning meetings. Ongoing assessments and updating treatment plans are done on a daily basis based on changing needs as health status changes. The social worker will address the unique needs of homebound, frail, disabled/chronic and/or dying Veterans. Independently works with patients and families who are experiencing emotional, medical, and social problems. Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, and formulates and implements a treatment plan, identifying the patient's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifying, and screening patients for psychosocial needs. Incumbent possesses the basic knowledge and ability to implement psychosocial treatment modalities. Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the patient/family and with the interdisciplinary treatment team. Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to a treatment plan. Ability to evaluate incumbents' own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means. Incumbent is able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds. Incumbent identifies high-risk patients and provides consultation services to other staff for case management services. Other Duties As Assigned VA Careers - Social Work: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday- Friday- 8:00AM-4:30PM Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance):Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: 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) and 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 are ineligible to apply. 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 Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 09415F, 09416F. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO):Not Authorized. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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 REQUIREMENT GS-9: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Masters Social Work. Accredited by Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the Masters degree in Social Work. Accreditation | CSWE Licensure: Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). BASIC REQUIREMENT GS-11 Experience: 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. Licensure: Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Education: In addition to meeting 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. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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). References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. 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 Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.