Social Worker - Emergency Department/Acute Psychiatry

Summary

This position is located in Gainesville - FL with the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NF/SGVHS) Emergency Department and Inpatient Acute Psychiatry section. The social worker's responsibilities include the assessment of psychosocial and mental health problems - actively participating in multi-disciplinary treatment planning - individual and group counseling - and evidence based therapies with Veterans and/or their family members/significant others/caregivers.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 07/16/2026

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: 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
• Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part
• 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)
• Licensure
• Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• GS-9 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
• 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of the Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 - September 10 - 2019 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• 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
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker - GS-09: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs on their resume and in their experience
• Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training listed below
• otherwise - we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim
• If selected - you may be required to submit narrative responses then
• (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• (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
• Social Worker - 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 nonVA experience)
• -OR- Education and Licensure
• 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
• You must attach additional transcripts to support this substitute
• Licensure or certification at the independent practice level is required at the GS-11 level
• -AND- Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs on their resume and in their experience
• Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training listed below
• otherwise - we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim
• If selected - you may be required to submit narrative responses then
• (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 - educational - and other 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
• References: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019
• This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health
• This position requires moderate lifting up to 44 lbs. - carrying objects up to 15 lbs. - frequent reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - hands and legs - walking & standing up to 8 hours - bending and climbing and able to hear whisper
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment with a lot of sitting - standing and walking up to 5 miles per day on the job
• The incumbent must be physically - emotionally and mentally stable in order to efficiently perform the essential functions of this position without hazard to themselves or others.

Duties

• The social worker is responsible for ensuring appropriate patient centered discharge plans aimed to achieve maximum independence are prepared for Veterans
• Work duties are performed with appropriate level of licensure and within the guidelines of state licensure laws
• Duties include but are not limited to: Provides a range of duties to include clinical assessment - case management - discharge planning - groups work and serves as the subject matter expert related to discharge planning
• Works within the interdisciplinary treatment team - to share in the development of a comprehensive treatment plan with the Veteran based on psychosocial assessment
• With the treatment team - the social worker will assess and determine needs for high risk suicide protocol to be implemented
• The social worker will collaborate with PACT social workers - Suicide Prevention Coordinators - Mental Health Treatment Coordinators - Health Care for Homeless Veteran (HCHV) social workers - SATT Program - Residential Programs and other key internal and external stakeholders as appropriate for the Veterans care
• The social worker must have proven and consistent excellence in customer service
• Develops the discharge plan through collaboration with the Veteran - family members/caregiver - and the interdisciplinary team
• The social worker establishes plans - goals and evaluates outcomes of interventions Responsible for planning and organizing work - coordinating with clinical interdisciplinary staff - other professional and clinical staff - and management personnel
• This social worker is responsible for reviewing and coordinating all phases of the continuing care for Veterans served within scope of practice and level of licensure
• Responsible for educating the Veteran and family members/significant others/caregivers of the available VA/Community Resources - other various services/programs related to treatment and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on Veterans preference
• The social worker will ensure discussion on resources and referrals - along with all interventions are documented same day in the electronic health record
• Has knowledge of psychosocial and mental health diagnoses and evidence based treatment modalities and has the ability to implement evidence based treatment modalities in working with Veterans and families Provides education related to navigating the VA system - use of community resources - entitlements - Advance Directives/Living Will/Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care - and Life Sustaining Treatment Decisions through Goals of Care Conversations Assesses - coordinates - and then facilitates the completion of appropriate paperwork for referrals to VA/community referrals to include - but not limited to nursing homes - community residential care facilities - assisted living facilities - medical foster homes - domiciliary - adult day health care - home based health care services - residential treatment and others
• Provides individual and group evidence-based therapies and treatment appropriate to level of licensure and complimentary to interdisciplinary inpatient treatment to Veterans and their families/caregivers
• Preferred experience: Experience working with interdisciplinary teams - discharge planning - conducting individual and group behavioral health and/or evidence based treatment
• Knowledge of VA and community resources - to includes housing resources for homeless and residential treatment options
• Evidence of exceptional customer service with all internal/external stakeholders
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 52065F / 50464F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not authorized Additional Benefits 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) 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) 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.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.