Social Worker - HUD-VASH
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Complete assessments to determine the presenting problem, to determine in-home factors impacting the problem, & determine obstacles to treatment &/or follow through with recommended treatments. Makes psychosocial & psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Uses Housing First & other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement & self-efficacy. Developes & implement methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice & services in the specialty area, utilizing clinical feedback & outcome evaluations to improve treatment services. Coordinates the delivery of specialized & complex psychosocial, physical, & mental illness services & programs. Serves as a liaison between Veterans &/or their families & VA & community resources to ensure thorough delivery of services. Communicates effectively, both orally & in writino with people from varied backorounds. Provides consultation & education to Veterans & their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, & specialty programs, including the process for accessing &/or coordinating community-based services, information & referral for additional services from other VA programs, other government programs, & community programs. Assesses psychosocial problems, often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis & include the provision of short-term & long-term solution-focused counseling with Veterans &/or their families. Provides case management services to Veterans & their families throughout the continuum of care. Completes full assessments of Veteran needs including diagnosing as appropriate using the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual V. Implements treatment modalities, provide educational classes, &/or supportive groups for Veterans & families with clinical supervisory support. Provides a wide range of social work interventions & services in both individual or group settings, as consistent with VHA Directive 1110.02 Social Work Professional Practice & approved scope of practice. Provides outreach services to engage homeless Veterans. Supports the mission, policies, & procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), & the facility. Furthers one's own professional growth through continuing education, pursuing clinical licensure as appropriate, & for ensuring continuing education appropriate to the area of assignment. Uses software applications for documenting visits, referrals, patient demographics, & patient satisfaction. Accurately and clearly documents in the Electronic Health Record, Homeless Operations Management & Evaluations System (HOMES), & other applicable databases or platforms. Adheres to the Housing & Urban Development Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program VHA Directive & HUD-VASH Operating Requirements. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], 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: available on an ad-hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 51054A / 51055A
What you need to qualify
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. 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. 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 work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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. 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 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: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors. 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. 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. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. 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, (VA or non VA experience) 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds. 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. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, 8 medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. 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 within a multidisciplinary program, coordinating and accessing resources, background providing services to people experiencing homelessness. One year post-MSW experience providing psychotherapy and case management services &1 year post-MSW experience coordinating services with community providers. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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 9 to 11. Physical Requirements: Must be in overall good health, able to sit at a desk working at a computer, engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting, walking, bending, and carrying supplies. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others. The position requires frequent community-based work including home visits and outreach conducted in a variety of residential environments such as apartment complexes, shelters, transitional housing programs,& private residences. The incumbent must be able to navigate stairs, uneven walking surfaces, and other environmental conditions commonly encountered in community housing settings. Duties require frequent entry and exit from vehicles while traveling throughout the service area. The incumbent may carry program materials such as a laptop computer, files, or outreach supplies weighing approximately 10-20 pounds. While conducting home visits, the incumbent may encounter environmental conditions typical of residential settings including pets, tobacco smoke, strong odors, or cluttered living spaces. Incumbent must possess and maintain a current valid state driver's license and local travel to provide community based care to Veterans. The position requires significant travel in the community, through use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements, to meet with representatives/stakeholders who provide assistance and support to Veterans in clinics, medical centers, Community Clinics, etc. This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing & analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, &/or fingers.
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