Senior Social Worker - HUDVASH

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.

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:

• 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: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education: 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
• 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: Senior Social Worker - GS-12 Experience Requirement: You must possess at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Examples of specialized experience 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
• maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies - handbooks or directives
• acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members - identifying the patient's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Preferred experience: Experience working with Mental Health and Homeless Services
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - pulling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Senior Social Worker Housing and Urban Development - VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) incumbent is a critical position within the Hershel \"Woody\" Williams VA Medical Center
• Under the direction of the Homeless Programs Coordinator - Mental Health Community Programs in the Mental Health Service - this case manager will coordinate and provide intensive case management services to move Veterans and their families out of homelessness
• Major Duties include - but are not limited to: Provide VA case management services - designed to improve Veteran's health and mental health - enhancing their ability to remain stable - housed and community integrated
• Responsible for direct linkages between the Veteran and the local housing authority and is responsible for direct referrals for Housing Choice Vouchers as it pertains to the HUD-VASH program
• Works closely with the VA Medical Center's homeless programs - residential and community care programs and transitional living facilities to ensure that coordination between these entities is facilitated and Veteran's direct care - referral and follow-up is contiguous and based on a continuum of services
• Independently provides clinical psychosocial and case management services at an advanced practice level for eligible Veterans and their family members in the program
• Provide supportive treatment through a well-defined program which includes clinical assessment - supportive therapeutic supervision - clinical case management - medical consultation - bio-psychosocial treatment and rehabilitation - supportive group and or milieu therapy - psycho-education services - occasional vocational counseling and rehabilitation - substance abuse counseling - and socialization within an outreach treatment format
• Extensive coordination among a wide variety of staff and treatment components to ensure its success
• as networking in the community with landlords - housing programs - the local Public Housing Authority and other housing specialists and case managers to identify housing resources and to maintain and update lists of housing opportunities
• The incumbent may provide psychotherapy as appropriate
• Makes routine visits - based upon acuity - to each Veteran in residence to assess their environment and provide on-going clinical services
• It is a requirement that the HUD-VASH case manager be approved by the local VAMC to drive the government vehicles - following all VA guidelines required to transport Veterans
• All other duties as assigned - pertaining to this occupation - to meet the needs of the Agency - Department - Facility - and/or Service
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm 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 View email address on careers.biausa.org - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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: Ad-hoc telework may be approved as determined per Agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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.