The incumbent in this position functions as a Case Manager for VA Western Colorado Health Care System (VAWCHCS) HUD-VASH Program. The HUD-VASH Program falls within the Care Management and Social Work Service Line. HUD-VASH is an intensive case management program for chronically homeless veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services to veterans while preparing for and residing in stable housing through HUD's Section 8 voucher system.
***This is an open continuous announcement until December 19, 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** 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: 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. 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/. Grade Determinations: 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 (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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. Driver's License: Must possess a valid unrestricted state issued driver's license. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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 emotional demands can be stressful in working with the patient population and their families. A level of self-awareness is essential. This position requires a 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 aid 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 and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or finqers.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships and communicates with Veterans, staff, and other parties as appropriate. Serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources to ensure thorough delivery of services. Communicates effectively, both orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds. Utilizes knowledge of community resources, makes referrals to the community and other government agencies as appropriate, and coordinates services. Facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members. Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs. Conducts psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. Assesses psychosocial problems often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis and provide short term and long-term solution-focused counseling with Veterans and/or their families. Completes thorough assessments to determine the presenting problem, factors impacting the situation, and obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments. Implements treatment modalities, provide educational classes, and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families. Responds to referrals that typically originate from members of the interdisciplinary team, from Veterans and/or their families coming as walk-ins to seek assistance, and from community professionals. Provides consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their families. Utilizes a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities in treatment or with specialized Veteran populations, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy, and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Conducts a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. Provides case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care. Works in the community most of the time, away from main campus, without Social Work Supervision available when traveling and/or alone with a complex Veteran. Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatment within approved clinical privileges. Uses various and appropriate theories and modalities in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness. Incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses. Provides subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Expands clinical knowledge in the social work profession, writes policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to working with Veterans experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness. Teaches and mentors staff and students in the specialty area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm 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: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 51100-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized