Social Worker

Full Job Description

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.

Program 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.

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: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C.

§ 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000.

To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

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/.

Failure to Obtain License or Certification: In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment.

Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

Loss of Licensure or Certification: Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment.

Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

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

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

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.

Supervisory Social Worker, GS-13 Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment.

Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Licensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.

Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.

Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers.

Ability to delegate authority, manage priorities, coordinate work, and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion.

Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems, develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations, and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.

Ability to provide staff training and development.

Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Supervisory social workers at the GS-13 grade level typically supervise professional and non-professional staff.

They are responsible for the professional and administrative management of an area in a social work service, in a care/product line, or across multiple sites, (e.g., multi-division facilities and CBOCs).

Incumbent may also provide direct clinical services. 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-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-13 Major Duties:

VA Careers - Social Work: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent serves as the Supervisory Social Worker for one of our 7 HUD-VASH teams.

In the role of Supervisory Social Worker, the incumbent is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a HUD-VASH team that supports homeless and at-risk Veterans across multiple counties across the VAPAHCS catchment area.

The 7 teams in HUD-VASH in Homeless Programs Service supervised by these supervisory social workers are assigned between 400-800 vouchers and are responsible for providing case management and housing services to an average caseload of 35 Veterans.

Team staff process Veteran referrals for program admission, conducting daily complex screenings to determine program eligibility.

Upon HUD-VASH admission, case managers assist Veterans during all steps of the housing process, including completion of psychosocial assessments and collaborative treatment plans, aiding with housing authority voucher application and compliance processes, and providing individualized services related to housing, move-in and psychosocial stabilization.

Once housed, Veterans continue to receive intensive case management services for a minimum 1-year period. Most Veterans receive case management services for 2+ years.

Team staff complete in-person home visits with all housed and unhoused Veterans on a minimum weekly to monthly basis.

In addition, team staff document details of all case management services provided, in the CPRS patient chart system, as well as in the VA's Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES).

HUD-VASH staff also assist veterans supported by any of our homeless programs by managing crisis calls through the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, regularly providing immediate crisis management and referral services.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: Supervisory Social Worker has the ability to provide independent and expert clinical psychosocial and case management services in the specialized area of practice, HUD-VASH, under the Homeless Programs Service to Veterans who tend to have serious and severe crises, may lack any familial and community support, may be poor self-monitors, may frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, or may have major deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support.

The incumbent evaluates the veteran's situation, abilities, and capabilities, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and prioritization for admission.

The incumbent documents independently in the medical records utilizing paper and/or electronic formats, including psychosocial assessments, diagnostics, treatment, progress notes, follow up and referral.

The incumbent serves as a HCS point of contact for the National HUD/VASH Program, Office of Mental Health Services, VACO. Assigns work, checks work-in-progress, and reviews final products.

Driver's License: The incumbent of this position must possess an appropriate, valid CA driver's license to operate sanctioned vehicles in the transportation of patients and/or equipment.

Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm or as determined by the supervisor. Compressed/Flexible: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for the incentive. Contact v21ccoeedrp@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Learn more 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 off 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: This may be authorized at the supervisor's discretion.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00559-F