Social Worker - Housing and Urban Development

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, delivers psychosocial services to Veterans facing homelessness and at risk of homelessness. Social workers provide case management and community-based support, often in the Veteran's residence, with licensure and CSWE-accredited training required.

GS-9/GS-11 level roles emphasize assessment, treatment planning, and collaboration with Veterans, families, and community

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work from CSWE-accredited program.
• Ability to perform counseling and psychosocial assessments.
• Competence in treatment planning and crisis intervention.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychosocial services to Veterans in HUD-VASH, including case management and community-based care.
• Assess Veterans and families; formulate and implement treatment plans; address psychosocial needs.
• Coordinate with community agencies and healthcare providers; support veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk.

Skills

Counseling skills

Psychosocial assessment

Treatment planning

Crisis intervention

Interprofessional communication

Medical terminology

Education

Master's in Social Work

Job description

Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) is a collaborative program which pairs HUD's Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with VA case management and supportive services for homeless Veterans. Social Workers assigned to the HUD-VASH program provide psychosocial services primarily to Veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and are expected to provide care in the community, typically the Veteran's residence. 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

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part).
• 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.
• 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.
  • 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. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.

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

Social Worker, GS-9

Experience, Education, and Licensure.

None beyond the basic requirements.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• 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

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.

OR

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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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.

Preferred Experience:

Experience with assessment, treatment planning, and clinical case management preferred. Experience working with unhoused individuals, SUD, mental illness, and aging populations.

Reference:

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

Physical Requirements:

The work requires the ability use a computer and ability to navigate throughout an office building environment. As a mobile worker, the work may require engaging Veterans in their environment. This may include emergency shelters, community agencies, veteran's residences and places not meant for habitation. Some encounters may be outdoors during all times of the year. There will be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, book, small parts; or driving an automobile, etc. The incumbent is required to transport veterans using a government assigned vehicle, therefore, would need to pass a driver's physical sufficient to meet the standards outlined in policies.