Social Worker Associate

Summary

The Social Work Associate (SWA) duties are performed in support of and under the direct supervision of a social worker. Work is performed across the Fargo VA Health Care System in the various Service Lines/Services that social workers are assigned to.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Duties:

• Provides non-clinical support to Veterans and their significant others, serving as a primary point of contact for those seeking information, assistance with benefits, or access to community and VA services.
• Responds to referrals from social workers and other interdisciplinary staff, returning calls, meeting with Veterans, and addressing identified non-clinical needs such as transportation coordination, assistance with Medicaid and other benefit applications, and support in accessing housing, food, clothing, lodging, or other community resources. The SWA conducts interviews in person, by telephone, or in community settings to gather background information and clarify service needs.
• Helps Veterans understand available agency and community resources, explains how to access them, and makes appropriate referrals to additional sources of assistance. While performing these duties, will evaluate the nature and urgency of each situation and promptly notifies appropriate clinical staff when potentially serious behavioral, emotional, or safety concerns are identified, including threats of harm, acute distress, suspected intoxication, or disruptive behaviors.
• Independently monitors for delays or barriers in service delivery, identifies obstacles, and takes appropriate action to resolve issues and facilitate timely access to needed services or benefits.
• Organizes and maintains administrative, resource, and training materials, ensuring that manuals, program handbooks, directories, and related documents are current and well organized. Researches out, compiles, and provides information as requested on topics such as transportation, housing, and identification documents. The position includes responsibility for accurately tracking and entering guardianship documentation and Advance Directive paperwork into the electronic medical record, ensuring compliance with facility procedures and regulatory requirements.
• As service needs allow, the SWA may be assigned to support any area within Social Work Service to ensure continuity.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4:00pm OR 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized

Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Ad-Hoc telework may be available at Supervisors discretion.

Requirements

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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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

GS-8: To qualify for this position, applicant(s) must possess all of the following qualifications:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY : In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

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BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study such as: social welfare, sociology, psychology, public administration, philosophy, education, anthropology, history, economics and/or English. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

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VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE : Current and valid State Driver's License NOTE: We cannot accept photographs. Therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid driver's license.

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SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Two (2) years of experience as a social welfare worker or social work assistant in a voluntary, public, social, or health agency. At least one (1) year of this experience must have been in a medical setting. At least one (1) year of the qualifying experience must have been equivalent to the GS-7 level (or higher) in the Federal service. Qualifying experience includes: conducting interviews; helping customers complete applications; explaining programs and regulations; resolving complaints; referring clients to community programs and benefits to obtain assistance with housing, finances, transportation, or other psychosocial needs; assisting with determining eligibility for programs and benefits; performing medical record documentation and records management procedures; selecting, assembling, and distributing reports concerning assigned technical or administrative topics; and working with Microsoft Office programs, including Word and Excel.

(EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME.) NOTE: Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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; religious; 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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

There is no education substitution option for this grade level.

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

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.

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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.