Summary

The Senior Social Worker practices in the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program and serves a patient population with highly complex health and mental health problems. The incumbent serves as a liaison to VA and non-VA services for Veterans experiencing homelessness.

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
• 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: Grade Determinations: GS-12 Senior Social Worker candidates must have the following: Experience/Education: The candidate must have at least two (2) years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one (1) 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
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• (KSAs): 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
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEwsVA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties but not are limited to: Responsible for outreach services to homeless Veterans in the communities and rural areas of BPVAHCS
• The Senior Social Worker supports the VA Homeless Program by providing continuity of care for homeless Veterans between V HA and community-based programs - as the Veteran transitions from homelessness into programs such as HCHV Contract Residential Housing (CRS) - Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (RRTPs) -and Grant Per Diem Programs (GPD) as well as directly to permanent housing through the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program - the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) - or other forms of housing in the community
• Provide psychosocial and concrete services to these Veterans
• The primary role of the Senior Social Worker is to provide outreach - case management - and follow-up services in the community
• The most prevalent need - among the many complex needs of homeless Veterans - is housing and accessing community-based resources
• This necessitates the use of a comprehensive approach which addresses the needs of substance abuse and addiction - untreated or undertreated mental health issues and untreated or under-treated medical issues by advocating - linking - and referring the Veteran to obtain and maintain stability in housing
• Prevent homelessness by establishing opportunities for mental and physical health stabilization and maintenance - to access secure housing and to work with Veterans to promote their full level of desired independence and functioning in the community
• Provide clinical psychosocial treatment and case management services at an advanced practice level to homeless Veteran to meet their biological - psychological - social and environmental needs
• Coordination with the local Suicide Prevention Coordinator(s) (SPC) to enhance suicide prevention amongst homeless Veterans encountered through community-based programs
• The incumbent provides leadership in the community by actively participating in the local plans to end Veteran homelessness - as well as - conducting and leading the coordination of outreach services to homeless Veterans
• The Senior Social Worker must be able to develop appropriate professional relationships with community stakeholders - and work closely with the Coordinated Entry Specialist to engage each catchment area Continuum of Care (CoC) and facilitate VA involvement in each CoC's Coordinated Entry System (CES)
• Ensures efficient sharing of Veteran data and program information - as allowable under VA Privacy and Information Security policies and Directives
• This will include knowledge of HMIS and HOMES data standards - data sharing and privacy authorities - HUD guidance - and other applicable documents or established guidance
• Performs a wide range of services and provides technical assistance to State - local - and private agencies - and universities
• The Senior Social Worker must possess the ability to organize work - set priorities - meet multiple deadlines and evaluate assigned program area(s)
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Yes 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 2108 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized