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.

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Duties

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VA Careers - Social Work :

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The incumbent is a professional social worker assigned to the Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Program (DRRTP). The incumbent must use a high level of skill in assessing and treating the complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans as they transition from the DRRTP to appropriate discharge arrangements. Care management responsibilities include coordination, and provision of social work and supportive services to Veterans and/or their families.

The DRRTP Social Worker at the Bath VA Medical Center independently performs case finding functions and outreach, identifies and screens patients for psychosocial needs. Incumbent must possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities and provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families and groups at the appropriate level of licensure and within current scope of practice.

Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. Incumbent works independently with patients and families experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems utilizing individual, group and family counseling and therapy skills.

Must actively participate as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and actively participate through collaboration with Veterans and family as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members in the development and implementation of a resident centered treatment plan.

Work Schedule : Monday to 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 the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

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 # : 21Y52A and 24400-F

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 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).
• 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 Requirements :

The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following:

a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it

is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A,

paragraph 3g this part).

b. Education. Have a masters 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 to to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

c. 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

(1) 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.

(a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not

licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified

at the independent master level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states

such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure

exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, masters level within one year of meeting the state prerequisites for licensure.

Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must

actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from

the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the

prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker

series and may result in termination of employment.

(3) Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must

maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain

qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from

the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee

Occupational Health Services.

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).

Grade Determinations :

Social Worker, GS-9

(1) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience

above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

(a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic,

cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling

skills.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(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. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic

illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical

terminology.

Assignments . Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social

workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they

are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent

licensure or certification, etc.

Social Worker, GS-11

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.

NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c.

OR

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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(d) 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.

(e) 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: 1 year residential work experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is at the GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to the GS-11 level.

Education

Education. Have a masters 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 to to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

Additional information

GS-11 Assignment:

Full Performance Level Assignments. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to : inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area .Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies,

• handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, in order to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate, etc.

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.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.

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.

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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