Senior Social Worker (Pact)

Veterans Health Administration (DOVA); Florida; On-site; USD 98,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital is seeking a Senior Social Worker for the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) in Zephyrhills, Florida. The role requires advanced social work practice, coordination with the Interdisciplinary Team, and expert psychosocial treatment for veterans.

The position is full-time with a competitive GS-12 salary range ($97,987–$127,386 per year). Applicants must hold an MSW from an accredited program and be licensed or eligible for licensure at the advanced level, with

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Licensed or certified to independently practice social work at the advanced level.
• Ability to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.

Responsibilities

• Performs biopsychosocial assessments and provides interventions.
• Provides individual, group, and family counseling.
• Coordinates discharge planning and care transitions for veterans.
• Advises and supports multidisciplinary teams in treatment planning.
• Ensures documentation meets accrediting bodies and organizational standards.

Skills

Social work

Education

MSW (CSWE accredited)

Job description

Summary

James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital is looking for a Senior Social Worker – Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). They work as a Senior Social Worker in our Community Cased Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Zephyrhills, Florida. The JAHVH is a Level I tertiary medical center with general medicine, surgical, psychiatric, rehabilitation, spinal cord injury/disorders center, nursing home care beds, and a polytrauma treatment facility.

Overview

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Accepting applications

This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Zephyrhills, FL

1 vacancy

No matching locations found.

Work site options

No

No

No

Salary

$97,987 – $127,386 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 12

Promotion potential

12

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

Not required

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 0185 Social Work

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Excepted Service

Represented by a union

Yes

Drug test

Yes

Security clearance

Not Required

Position sensitivity and risk

• Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
• Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
• Background check type

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required

No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

CBTC-13100408-27-CB

Control number

890881000

This job is open to

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Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration will be given to current permanent employees from the Tampa VAMC. Second area of consideration will be for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Duties

The Senior Social Worker-PACT will adhere to the National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics, all local social work policies and/or SOPs and maintain an unrestricted, unsuspended license to practice social work.

Senior Social Worker performs specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness. They have advanced knowledge of, and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical and/or mental illness. The Senior Social Worker has the ability to incorporate complex multiple causations in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. In alignment with the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) for a GS 12 HUD-VASH Senior Social Worker, the following are to serve as an outline of assigned duties for this position.

Additional duties include but not limited to:

• Ability to determine priority for services and provide specialized treatment services.
• Completes a biopsychosocial assessment for veterans treated and provides interventions on the basis of this assessment.
• Has advanced and expert 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 and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment or veterans with complex physical and/or mental illness.
• Develops and implements methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in specialty areas, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
• Able to demonstrate the ability to design changes based on empirical findings.
• Offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Performs program analysis, development, review, research, design, and contact work as possible with various agencies (public, DOD, state, etc.).
• Possess the ability to organize work, set priorities, meet multiple deadlines and evaluate assigned program area(s).
• Adhere to Service Line Agreements, (SLA) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for documentation. Adhere to approved templates and required standards for documentation as outlined by accrediting bodies such as Joint Commission, CARF, and/or revenue sources providing funding to Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
• Assesses and determines the extent and intensity of social work treatment required for individuals and their families.
• Provide documentation sufficient to meet the needs of various interdisciplinary teams engaged in the discharge planning process both within the facility and for potential placement and/or aftercare programs/facilities.
• Adhere to SLA, SOP, and directives for clinical contact with patients, families, and collateral providers over the course of treatment, which includes pre-admission, program participation, and post-discharge follow-up.
• Provide individualized care coordination and discharge planning highlighting patient’s strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences within patient interaction, Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) meetings, along with family and collateral contacts.
• Advise supervisor and IDT on identified treatment goals, priorities, and disposition options and progress.
• Ensuring patients have access to care via completion of required documents, 1010s, Advanced Directive, and other forms that assist with access to care within the VA or the community.
• The incumbent will participate in survey accreditation(s) ensuring standards are adhered to within their social work practice, unit/service and at the facility level as well (i.e. infection control and safety).
• The incumbent will participate in all assigned supervisory meetings to include individual, team huddles, and will participate in, both social work and matrix, staff meetings.
• For positions that require use of a government vehicle the incumbent must have and maintain a valid driver’s license and pass Occupational Health screening.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with rotating tours of duty as needed

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

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 # :71141F; Senior Social Worker

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

NOTE: Prior to accepting a final employment offer, all selected applicants will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements. Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination and maintain CDT physical readiness.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Must be able to meet physical demands which include strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distances over difficult terrain, running, climbing, working long hours in primitive or arduous conditions, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government;
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• 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. Note: 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.
• Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate’s qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. The following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.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.
• Applicants with Florida LCSW, to qualify for APL Qualified Supervision Delegation, QSCSW must be on licensure. For additional information, please refer to Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling >> Qualified Supervisor- Licensing, Renewals & Information.
• Applicants with Puerto Rico LSW must be an active member of the College of Social Work Professionals of Puerto Rico (CPTSPR) and must provide CPTSPR active membership certification. For additional information, please visit Membership – CPTSPR.
• 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.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities . In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following 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.

Preferred Experience and Certifications

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

Preferred Experience: At least 3 years of Medical Social Work experience including inpatient and outpatient care.

Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

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.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant’s criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.[
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that had faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Required documents

Required Documents

• Resume

Resume – To determine your eligibility, please ensure resume includes the below:

• Job title
• Grade Level (for Federal positions)
• Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position)
• Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
• Full-time or part-time status
• Include hours worked per week

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted ‘Resume’ document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the ‘Other’ document upload field. The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50’s (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• License (License and Registry Certificate – if applicable)
• Transcript – with Degree Conferred and GPA SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action – If you are a current or former VA or Federal Employee, you must submit a copy of a current and/or highest grade held SF-50 – Notification of Personnel Action (Not an award SF50)

Veterans’ Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 “Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference” with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans’ Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets – Veterans – Job Seekers – Veterans’ Preference.

Agency contact information

Christal Bess

Phone [phone] X100165

Email [e-mail]

Address James A Haley Veterans Hospital

13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard

Tampa, FL 33612

US