Senior Social Worker
What you'd do
The VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System is seeking a dedicated and highly skilled Social Worker to serve as an HCHV Outreach Case Manager within our Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program. This position serves as a critical entry point for Veterans experiencing homelessness, many of whom present with complex, co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and substance use conditions compounded by poverty, untreated health complications, and chronic housing instability.
Major duties
The social worker in this position functions as the Medical Center's HCHV Outreach Case Manager for VA's Health Care for Homeless Veterans Programs, HCHV Outreach Program. Duties for this position include but not limited to: Conducts proactive outreach to identify and engage Veterans experiencing homelessness, including those who are unsheltered, in emergency shelters, or otherwise disconnected from care, often in non-traditional community settings. Performs comprehensive psychosocial assessments to evaluate a Veteran's medical, mental health, substance use, and social needs, identifying risk factors, strengths, and barriers to obtaining and sustaining housing. Facilitates eligibility determinations and enrollment for VA health care, securing military discharge documentation as needed and verifying eligibility under applicable homeless assistance statutes. Provides crisis intervention services, addressing acute safety, mental health, and substance use concerns, and coordinating rapid response with interdisciplinary treatment teams. Develops individualized treatment and housing stability plans in collaboration with the Veteran, incorporating the Veteran's self-identified goals and priorities. Coordinates referrals and admissions to the full spectrum of VA and community homeless programs, including Grant and Per Diem (GPD), HUD-VASH, Contract Residential Services, and other transitional and permanent supportive housing options, as well as VA medical, mental health, and substance use treatment services. Serves as an advocate for Veterans navigating VA systems, community agencies, and housing authorities, working to resolve barriers related to negative housing histories, credit issues, criminal justice involvement, and other obstacles to housing acceptance. Provides consultation to interdisciplinary team members and other VA and community providers regarding the psychosocial needs of homeless Veterans and the impact of those needs on treatment adherence and health outcomes. Maintains accurate, timely documentation in the electronic health record and the Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES) in accordance with VA policy and reporting requirements. Participates in ongoing professional development, peer review, and training to maintain advanced clinical competency in evidence-based practices relevant to homeless and at-risk Veteran populations. Performs other related duties as assigned. 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: Ad-Hoc may be available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: F08464 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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. 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. 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. 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 Master of Social Work. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience/Education. The candidate must have 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. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty Licensure/Certification. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 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). Preferred Experience: Experience working, either directly or indirectly, with homeless populations as well as those diagnosed with mental health or substance use disorders. 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019
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