Senior Social Worker (HUD-VASH)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Burlington (VT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Burlington, VT, seeks a Senior Social Worker (HUD-VASH) to provide leadership within Mental Health Services and oversee clinical practices for Veterans experiencing homelessness.

The role includes supervision, program development, and collaboration with community providers to ensure housing stability and access to care for Veterans and their families.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship required.
• Master's degree in social work from CSWE-accredited program.
• Licensure/certification as social worker at master’s level in state.
• English language proficiency for appointment.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, and staff development within HUD-VASH team.
• Provide clinical supervision to unlicensed social workers and students.
• Engage with community partners and VA programs to support housing stability for Veterans.
• Assess psychosocial functioning and develop treatment plans for Veterans and families.
• Deliver a range of social work interventions including individual/group/family therapy and case management.

Education

Master's degree in social work (CSWE-accredited)

Job description

Summary

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.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship: You must 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
• Education: You must 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 or Certification: You 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/
• Exception
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker - GS-12: Licensure Requirement: You 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 must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• AND Experience Requirement: You must possess 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
• Examples of specialized experience include - but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• use of clinical social work skills
• maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies - handbooks or directives
• acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members - identifying the patient's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health.

Duties

• This Senior Social Worker (HUD-VASH) position is within the Mental Health Service within VA White River Junction Healthcare System at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic located at the Burlington - Vermont location
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Senior Social Workers assigned to the HUD-VASH Program have specialized clinical expertise in an area applicable to the HUD-VASH program - such as care to Veterans experiencing homelessness - care to Veterans recovering from trauma - experience in the treatment of mental illness or experience with evidence-based treatment modalities
• In addition to the duties of a HUD-VASH case manager - the Senior Social Worker provides leadership on a team - as part of a workgroup or in implementing an initiative
• The incumbent provides clinical supervision to unlicensed Social Workers and students or otherwise are responsible for training less-experienced staff within the HUDVASH program
• He/she represents VA in workgroups - participation in community committees or Continuum of Care boards - and by-name list or Coordinated Entry meetings
• The incumbent is responsible for an administrative aspect of the program - such as voucher utilization - data tracking or facilitating the portability process and will work closely with homeless programs staff at all levels to facilitate knowledge sharing - recommendations for system improvement and assessment of need
• Duties include but are not limited to: Providing leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs
• Clinical program development and accountability for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatments
• Providing outreach services to engage homeless Veterans - to include building collaborations with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure service delivery methods and service patterns match the identified patient need
• Independently conducting interviews and assessments for the purpose of program enrollment and to aid in the development of treatment plans
• Utilizing Housing First and other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement and self-efficacy
• Assisting the Veteran with housing placement - beginning with the process of obtaining a HUD-VASH voucher from the Public Housing Authority (PHA) through the lease up process
• Advocating on behalf of Veterans and their families with landlords - PHAs - community providers and VA Programs
• Conducting home visits - with the intent of removing barriers for access to care - supporting housing stability and assessing social and community integration
• Providing a wide range of Social Work interventions and services in both individual or group settings - to include psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• Performs additional duties as assigned and outlined in the position description
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Hannah Neilson at [e-mail] - 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 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) Functional Statement #: F08185 at GS-12
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Notifications: (Continued in the Additional Information Section) This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a special rate.