Social Worker

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. 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:

Basic Requirements:
To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following:

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States..

English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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.

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.

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.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Social Worker, GS-9 Entry Level

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:

(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 Full Performance Level

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.

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).

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.

1) All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker.

Preferred Experience: Experience working with homelessness, and community based experience preferred.

The full performance level of this position is a 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II, Appendix G39

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

The incumbent in this position is responsible for caseload oversight, monitoring and administration, serving as the primary contact with local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). The incumbent will provide case management services necessary to ensure that veteran care is coordinated with the VA medical center, PHAs, community health providers, community mental health providers, and agencies that serve homeless populations.

Position requires the ability to work with a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Position requires a basic knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture.

• The incumbent has the ability to work with veterans and families who are experiencing basic emotional, medical, and/or social problems utilizing individual, group, and family counseling skills. Work with more complex problems is done under consultation with guidance from the immediate supervisor and social work supervisor for licensure (if differing). The incumbent will demonstrate ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the veteran's problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed.
• The incumbent has basic knowledge of psychosocial treatment modalities and under supervision, 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.
• The incumbent establishes and maintains effective working relationships with veterans, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• The incumbent communicates effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds.
• The incumbent has basic knowledge of medical and mental diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures to include acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and basic medical terminology.
• The incumbent has working knowledge and skill in the use of word processing, data management, and other computer software.
• The incumbent has the ability to learn and utilize software programs in use by the VHA.
• The incumbent has basic knowledge of veterans' benefits and services relating to special programs, service connected compensation, non-service connected pension and facilitates referrals based upon veterans needs and eligibility.
• The incumbent may serve on committees, councils, workgroups, and/or task forces as assigned by supervisor. The incumbent may serve as a liaison to community agencies and networks with agency representatives.
• The incumbent obtains and/or participates in continuing education.
• The incumbent performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00am- 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible:N/A
Telework: Yes - Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Social Worker, PD52724A
EDRP Authorized: Contact Brandee.OBrien@va.gov, or, Amanda.Garner4@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary : $200,000