Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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:

• 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/
• 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
• Social Worker - GS-9: (1) Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• (2) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• (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 (1) 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• OR (2) 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
• (3) 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 - educational - and other 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience working with Homeless population and any stigmatized population preferred
• 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.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES A
• Psychosocial assessment and Treatment Planning - The social worker will complete a biopsychosocial assessment and treatment plan to include the goals set by the Veteran - as required by program standards
• The assessment will include psychosocial history of the Veteran - family relationships - economic and community connections and various psychosocial support systems
• The goal of the assessment is to highlight the Veteran's strengths - limitations - and internal/external supports and service needs to optimize the Veteran's functional status and safely maintain the Veteran in the community
• The goals will be captured on the treatment plan
• It is the responsibility of the social worker - to complete these psychosocial assessments in a timely manner in keeping with the program guidelines and Veterans' treatment needs
• The assessments - at times - may be completed using the VA Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES) assessment tool
• B
• The Housing Specialist will remain in contact with all Veterans seeking new or seeking to rehouse and coordinate case management of non-housing related case management needs with the assigned HUD-VASH case manager as appropriate
• Once housed - the Housing Specialist will provide a warm hand-off to the HUD-VASH Case Manager
• C
• Community Outreach - The social worker will develop relationships with area landlords - apartment building management companies and staff - real estate agents and other community members involved in housing throughout the catchment area
• Will provide education to community members regarding the various housing programs operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs and will serve as the facility's representative on any advisory boards or community collaborations to address housing within the community
• D
• Resource Development - The social worker is responsible for the maintenance and development of a rental property inventory tracker system
• This includes identifying landlords and rental property in all counties within the VA SORCC catchment area and updating the tracker regularly
• E
• The Housing Specialist will participate in Continuum of Care (COC) and By - Name - List (BNL) meetings to provide updates on current housing statuses/plans for homeless veterans involved with HUD-VASH
• F
• The Housing Specialist will be involved with housing events in collaboration with Public Housing Authorities to educate and promote the HUD-VASH Program G
• The Housing Specialist will be responsible for monitoring and supporting housing activities within the VA SORCC - to ensure performance measures are maintained
• H
• Referral to Housing Providers - The social worker will provide available housing options and serve as the liaison between the Veteran and the potential housing property staff in connecting Veterans to housing options for use of issued HUD-VASH vouchers
• The social worker is the subject matter expert on housing options with the catchment area and serves as consultant on this matter for Veterans and staff alike
• The social worker is responsible for educating the Veteran of available services - housing rights and responsibilities and housing options with the Veteran's community of choice and assists the Veteran with making connections to appropriate - safe - affordable housing
• I
• Advocacy - The social worker assists the Veteran and family with navigation of the larger VA bureaucracy and community partners/providers/agencies and empowers the Veteran to self-advocate whenever feasible
• When necessary - the social worker will provide education on self-advocacy to instill confidence in procuring needed housing - goods - and services
• Work Schedule:0800-1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Notauhorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V20CompensationTeam@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized