Summary

The Housing and Urban Development / VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) is a component of the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program The Social Worker (HUD-VASH) is a part of a collaborative effort, supported through HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA's provision of intensive case management services. The primary goal of HUD-VASH is moving veterans and their families out of chronic homelessness, and providing comprehensive case management services.

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
• Citizen of the United States
• Licensure
• Full, unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Education
• Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work
• Grade Determinations: GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• 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
• Assignments
• Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification
• Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing social work case management
• acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams
• maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals
• Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice
• GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision
• GS-11 Experience/Education: Applicants must 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
• 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, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified 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, 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
• Assignments
• This is the full performance level
• Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work
• Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics
• Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area
• Duties 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 and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives
• and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver
• Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and 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-09 to GS-11
• Preferred Experience: Candidates with a history of working with people experiencing homelessness
• References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard
• Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers, and files
• In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, their families, representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies
• The incumbent must possess current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary.

Duties

• Candidates will be reviewed for minimum qualifications as outlined in the qualifications section of this announcement and referred to the Loma Linda VA Health Care System Social Worker Interview panel no later than 60 DAYS OF THE VACANCY CLOSURE
• Selected candidates should plan to report to Loma Linda VA Health Care System for fingerprinting and a physical evaluation
• In addition, you will be contacted by various entities within Human Resources to begin all pre-employment processes and must satisfy all condition of employment before a firm offer of employment is made
• Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment
• and average hours worked per week
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Assessing homeless veterans to determine whether they meet criteria for participation in the HUD-VASH program Determining the need for other services to ensure adequate income, skills and support to maintain housing once placed Developing individualized treatment plans with veterans that reflect his/her goals Addressing potential strengths and barriers to maintaining housing placement Establishing a process to monitor the treatment plan including: alcohol and drug screening, frequency of medical and mental health appointments, assistance with employment and income needs, resolution of legal and financial issues Assisting the veteran with completion of required documentation for HUD, assisting with location of suitable housing and completion of other tasks required for move-in Providing regular ongoing case management services including but not limited to: providing support for long-term recovery by working towards treatment plan goals, reassessing needs and goals based on changing conditions and making regular home visits to assess veteran's ability to maintain themselves in a safe environment that promotes sobriety, physical and mental well-being Coordinating VA and community interventions, acting as liaison with critical partners (i.e
• landlord, other service providers) Documenting all contacts with patients/families in the medical charts Completing statistical, administrative, staffing studies and all other reports in accordance with VA Medical Center and Behavioral Medicine Service policies Completing HUD-VASH forms required and utilized by the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC) for evaluation and monitoring of service delivery and outcomes Working with other clinical programs and services that share in the care of HUD-VASH patients, including but not limited to Behavioral Health Outpatient and Treatment Services, the Substance Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Program, the CORE Program and the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program Maintaining effective working relationships with other professional and administrative personnel both within the Medical Center and in the community Assuming responsibility and showing initiative for improving professional skills, participating in planning and executing specific staff development projects, attending seminars and institutes and participating in training programs of other disciplines as requested
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm.(Subject to Change Based Upon The Needs of the Agency.) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: PDFS-000000, PDFS- 000000, and PDFS-0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required