The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. The position is assigned to the Community Reintegration and Recovery Service (CRRS) at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center within the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. The incumbent provides community-based case management services to Veterans participating in the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
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: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Education: You must possess 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/. For assignments at the GS-9 level, VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. 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. GS-9 Social Worker Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-11 Social Worker 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. While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position: GS-9 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members. 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 GS-11 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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, educational, and other 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. Preferred Experience: mental health and homeless experience 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-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: The work requires extreme patience and controlling of emotions. The work may require using appropriate techniques to physically restrain patients who present a danger to self or others. The work may also require assisting physically disabled Veterans. Day to day work involves sitting, walking, standing and carrying light objects. The work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable diseases common to the homeless populations. Much of the work is performed in a setting away from the office, where the environment cannot be controlled.
The HUD-VASH Social Worker works closely with the VA medical center's homeless programs, residential and community programs, and domiciliary programs to ensure that coordination between these entities is facilitated and Veterans direct care, referral, and follow-up is contiguous and based on a continuum of services. The Social Worker independently provides clinical psychosocial and case management services for eligible Veterans and their family members in the program. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Developing working relationships and agreements with other organizations and directly coordinating with the designated Public Housing Authority (PHA) regarding housing voucher application and award process for each Veteran. Regularly conducting and participating in outreach activities including field interviews, assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community, shelters, and "on the streets," as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs, medical centers or outpatient clinics. Evaluating the Veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and priority for admission. Assessing at-risk factors and developing a preliminary plan, involving the Veteran and family or significant others, and performing an insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness which may also include, catastrophic medical condition, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and other high risk diagnoses. Providing referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits, as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs. Developing psychosocial treatment plans, actively involving the Veteran and their family or significant others, in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, including goals for clinical treatment. Using known resources, the incumbent makes initial and continuing decisions coordinating the Veteran's care through linking and referral to VA medical facilities or Regional Offices and other VA and non-VA services and providing independent consultation and making recommendation to the interdisciplinary team on course of action. Providing direct mental health and substance abuse services for Veterans and family members or significant others in support of the Veteran's treatment. Giving advice, guidance, emotional support and other assistance and providing individual and group counseling services as well as crisis management services needed to maintain the Veteran safely in his or her residence Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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). 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. Functional Statement # 52063F/52060F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.