Summary

The Social Worker functions as the Case Management Specialist in the Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Program and is responsible for providing case management services as part of a geographically based multidisciplinary team.

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:

• 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 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
• 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
• 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
• Grade 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: 1) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• 2) 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
• 3) 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
• 4) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies
• 5) 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
• Grade 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: 1) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services
• 2) 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
• 3) 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
• 4) 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
• 5) 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: One year of full-time experience working with adults experiencing homelessness, mental illness and/or substance abuse is preferred
• Valid and unrestricted drivers license is required
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Social Worker, 0185, dated 9/10/2019, VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) 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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: conducts and participates in outreach activities including field interviews and assessments for homeless veterans identified by the Homeless Outreach team in the community, shelters, and \"on the streets,\" as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics
• reviews electronic medical records and may interview the veteran and their family members, significant others, and/or treatment providers to establish facts about the veteran's situation, presenting problems and their causes, and the impact of such problems on the veteran's functioning and health
• provides a concise summary of the veteran's history of homelessness, case management needs, and eligibility factors as well as any serious concerns about the veteran's safety living independently in the community to the HUD-VASH Determination Committee
• develops psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, with goals focused on obtaining/sustaining permanent housing and addressing identified challenges to becoming and remaining permanently housed
• provides case management services while utilizing professional skill, objectivity, insight, advanced clinical training, and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options and recognizing potential high-risk factors, acuity, and needs for services
• refers veterans to appropriate VA and other government/community services-including local shelters, food banks, employment services, veteran's benefits, and social security applications and assists veterans who encounter problems obtaining services from the VA and other service delivery agencies through advocacy, linking, and/or by assisting with their problem solving/social interaction skills
• provides direct mental health and substance abuse services for veterans and family members and/or counsels significant others in support of the veteran's treatment
• gives advice, guidance, emotional support and other assistance
• uses motivational enhancement techniques
• and provides individual and group counseling services
• provides crisis management services as needed to maintain the veteran safely in their residence
• assists and encourages veteran and significant others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluating the situation, considering alternative courses of action and arriving at plans for using resources to resolve problems
• makes routine visits to each veteran in their residence to assess their environment and provide on-going clinical services
• establishes a continuing relationship with the veteran, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan with the veteran's participation as appropriate
• The incumbent meets veterans to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals and monitors veteran's progress, maintains comprehensive documentation, ensures expert diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders to the extent the veteran is willing to engage in treatment
• documents independently in the medical records utilizing CPRS, including psychosocial assessments, individual service or treatment plans, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral
• Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.