Social Worker (HUD) and (VASH)

Summary

HUD-VASH, an intensive case management program for chronically homeless Veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services while participants reside in stable housing through HUD's Section 8 voucher system. The HUD VASH program falls under the Homeless Programs Section of Social Work.

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Duties

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Provide clinical psychosocial and case management services at an independent practice level to eligible Veterans and their family members to meet biological, psychological, social and environmental needs.

Provide case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, clinical training, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high risk factors, acuity, and needs for services.

Verify the Veteran's status, eligibility for VA medical care, and eligibility of program participation.

Responsible for ensuring that homeless Veterans are considered as primary participants for program acceptance.

Develop the screening procedures to involve a multidisciplinary team approach and is responsible to ensure criteria and procedures are maintained.

Provide primary input for program participant selection based on structured interviews and clinical assessments.

Establish, implement, and maintain referral and screening procedures for potential HUD/VASH Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs.

Conducts and participants in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and "on the streets," as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics.

Maintain current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless, and when appropriate, represents VA at community service provider meetings.

Provide referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs.

Provide referrals or consults, or in some cases direct admission of the Veterans prior to HUD/VASH participation, for other VA programs including community-based residential treatment such as Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Programs, Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) contract

residential treatment, or Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Compensated Work Therapy Transitional Residence (CWT/TR) Programs.

Maintain treatment plans based on clinical assessment for each Veteran which are reviewed quarterly with updates as needed and make routine visits to each Veteran in residence to assess their environment and provide on-going clinical services.

Explain Veteran's treatment and progress to third parties as appropriate and manages the quality control and evaluation of the professional services provided.

Direct clinical and psychosocial services and is accountable for the overall effectiveness of the services provided.

Modify services to best meet the treatment needs of Veterans and to promote efficient practice and coordinates with other services offered in the treatment program, assuring such services are complementary and comprehensive.

Coordinate care including serving as an advocate on behalf of the Veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery and linking and referring Veterans to the VA Medical Center, VA Regional Offices and/or community agencies.

Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and will be responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate.

Document social work interventions and activities in patient's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensure appropriate hand off when transferring of patient care.

Develop working relationships and agreements with other organizations and directly coordinates with the designated PHA regarding housing voucher application and award process for each Veteran.

Responsible to review the agreements between Section 8 landlords, PHAs, and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for placements.

Performs site visits of HUD-VASH apartments to ensure that Veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes.

Responsible for following local policy and SOP for the Homeless and HUDVASH Programs. This includes following policies and documentation requirements as required for CARF and Joint Commission accreditation.

Provide data to the Homeless Social Work Supervisor and/ or the Homeless Program Senior Social Worker to maintain accurate administrative record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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).

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 40048F

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 dentification 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.
• Must have a valid driver's license.

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 Requirements :

Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States

English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)

Education and/or Experience Combination -

You must possess 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.

License or Certification* - You must be licensed or certified 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.

Grandfather Provision. A Social Worker employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (9/10/2019) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

For a Social Worker Qualification GS-0185-9

GS-09 Social Worker -Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• 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.

For a Social Worker Qualification GS-0185-11

GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11, you must possess 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. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members. In collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams, identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity. Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals.

-OR-

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.

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• 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, educational, and other 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.

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 masters of social work.

IMPORTANT: 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

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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