Social Worker (HUD-VASH)

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

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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
• 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)
• 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
• (COPY OF TRANSCRIPT WITH CONFERRED DATE REQUIRED)
• Licensure/Certification
• 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 work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going to
• (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED FOR GS-11)
• 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
• 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
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS
• Social Worker - GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (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
• 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 - and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level
• 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 (COPY OF TRANSCRIPT WITH CONFERRED DATE REQUIRED)
• 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: Experience working with clients who have experienced homelessness
• Experience working with Veteran or Military population
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• 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: The position requires moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• pushing (up to 6 hours)
• operation of a motor vehicle
• the ability to distinguish basic colors
• and hearing (aid may be permitted)
• Work may be performed outside and inside and you must be able to work alone and closely with others.

Duties

• The duties listed are GS-11 Full Performance Level - GS-9 duties will differ in complexity and level of supervision
• This Social Worker is assigned to Community Housing and Outreach Services (CHOS) - in Housing and Urban Development - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Programs at VA Puget Sound Healthcare System to provide direct services for Veterans - their families - and caregivers
• In collaboration with the Veteran - family - caregiver - and interdisciplinary treatment team - the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services
• The social worker links the Veteran with services - resources - and opportunities - in order to maximize the Veteran's independence - health - and well-being
• Clinical: Provide independent case management throughout the continuum of care for a caseload of Veterans in the HUD-VASH program
• Case management is the provision of services by VA clinical staff to Veterans experiencing homelessness and includes all activities to provide appropriate treatment to house and maintain Veterans in HUD approved - stable housing
• Provide a full range of clinical services to include case work - individual - family and group counseling - discharge planning - case management - and other services as appropriate
• Perform case finding functions and outreach - identify and screen Veterans for current mental health status - housing status - access to resources - and other needs
• Provide evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions - including individual - family - and group psychotherapy and measure outcomes of these interventions
• Provide a full range of psychological assessment services and diagnose mental disorders on complex or unusually difficult patients - many of whom have psychiatric and medical problems
• Assume complete professional responsibility for clinical assessment findings - patient care decisions - and documentation
• Develop treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran/family and the interdisciplinary treatment team
• Coordinate community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs - and community agency programs
• Administrative: Comply with criminal conflict of interest laws and Executive Branch Standards of conduct to avoid conflicts of interest while serving as the HUD-VASH Case Manager
• Actively participate in conference calls - staff meetings - and attends trainings and meetings/calls offered by the HUD-VASH National - VISN - and local programs
• Follow local policy and procedures for the HUD-VASH Program
• This includes following policies and documentation requirements as required for CARF and JC accreditation
• Improve professional skills - participate in planning and execute specific staff development projects - attend seminars and institutes - and participate in training programs of other disciplines as requested
• Use of word-processing - data management - and other computer systems - especially those programs in use by VHA
• Complete all mandatory training by stipulated due dates
• Maintain data and statistical compilations to comply with JC - CARF - VA - and medical center policy and procedures
• Work with VA Medical Center multi-disciplinary teams and community agencies on performance improvement projects for more effective and efficient ways of delivering healthcare services to Veterans who are experiencing homelessness
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Mon - Fri - 8:00am to 4:30pm
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: 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
• 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
• 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
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000
• 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.