Social Worker- Housing and Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Case Manager

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Relocation assistance

EDRP Authorized

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Memphis seeks a licensed social worker (GS‑11) to provide independent clinical social work across inpatient and outpatient settings. You will conduct psychosocial assessments, coordinate care, and develop care plans for veterans and their families.

Responsibilities include case management, collaboration with an interdisciplinary team, and supporting HUD‑VASH and related VA programs. This position offers robust benefits and a structured schedule.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.
• Current licensure/certification to independently practice social work.
• English language proficiency in spoken and written form.
• United States citizenship or VA grandfathering provisions as applicable.

Responsibilities

• Independently assess psychosocial functioning and needs of veterans and families.
• Provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities (individual, group, family).
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary teams and community resources.
• Develop and implement treatment plans with measurable goals.
• Provide subject‑matter consultation to junior social workers and students.
• Serve on committees and participate in program planning and evaluation.

Skills

Community resources

Psychosocial assessments

Medical and mental health knowledge

Treatment modalities

Consultation to new social workers

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. 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 a complete review of the EDRP application.

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, 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 from schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master’s degree.
• Verification of the degree can be made by verifying that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work at http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation.
• 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 at 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 in this occupation meeting the criteria).
• Grade Determinations: 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 and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c. OR Education – in addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of community resources – ability to make appropriate referrals and coordinate services.
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures, including acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses, common medications and effects/side effects, and medical terminology to formulate a treatment plan.
• Skill in implementing different treatment modalities with individuals, families and groups to achieve treatment goals.
• Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students and other staff about psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.

Full Performance Level Responsibilities

• Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work.
• Incumbents are assigned to all program areas – inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics.
• Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area.
• Duties include assessing and documenting behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence.
• Use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks, or directives.
• Act as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the veteran and family members/caregiver.
• Independently assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of veterans and their family members – identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills – and psychosocial acuity.
• In collaboration with the veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services.
• Identify family/caregiver stressors, conduct assessment, and provide specific interventions.
• Provide case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporating complex multiple causes in differential diagnosis and treatment of veterans.
• Make psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Link the veteran with services, resources, and opportunities to maximize the veteran’s independence, health and well‑being.
• Conduct timely assessment of at‑risk veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate.
• Provide interventions independently with veterans and families/caregivers experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal and psychosocial problems.
• Provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy.
• Independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the veteran’s needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity.
• Serve on committees, work groups and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community.
• Provide subject‑matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of veterans, offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills.
• Establish and maintain ongoing education programs for veterans, community agencies, students and staff to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the veteran/military population.

HUD‑VASH Program Responsibilities

• Responsible for providing case management for a caseload of veterans in the HUD‑VASH program.
• Responsible for reviewing agreements between Section 8 landlords, Public Housing Authorities and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD‑VASH placements.
• Perform site visits of HUD‑VASH apartments to ensure veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes.
• Verify the veteran’s status – eligibility for VA medical care – and eligibility of program participation.
• Ensure that homeless veterans are considered as primary participants for program acceptance.
• Collect and submit HUD‑VASH Program participant data as outlined by NEPEC evaluation procedures.
• Provide HUD‑VASH case management and maintain veterans in HUD‑approved stable housing.
• Coordinate care including serving as an advocate on behalf of the veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery and linking and referring veterans to the VA Medical Center, VA Regional Offices and/or community agencies.
• Comply with criminal conflict of interest laws and Executive Branch Standards of conduct to avoid conflicts of interest while serving as the HUD‑VASH Case Manager.
• Actively participate in the HUD‑VASH Program conference calls and attend training offered by the HUD‑VASH.
• Follow local policy and SOP for the HUD‑VASH Program and required policies and documentation requirements for GARF and Joint Commission accreditation.
• Participate in program planning and development – advising the supervisor of shifting trends with caseloads and identifying the need for and making recommendations on program procedure or policy changes based upon work experiences.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments to determine the needs of veterans and family members.
• Actively participate in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
• Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and ensure discharge plans are executed in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Provide individual, family and group counseling as appropriate.
• Provide consultation/education to veterans and families on community resources, advance directives and VA benefits.
• Act as consultant to other team/staff members.
• Act as liaison between VA and community resources – including marketing and public relations duties as needed.

Benefits

• Work Schedule: Monday‑Friday, 8:00 am‑4:30 pm.
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): May be authorized to highly qualified applicants.
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): May be authorized to highly qualified applicants.
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact: [e-mail] – EDRP Coordinator contact.
• Pay: Competitive salary with regular increases; possible higher step rate for unique qualifications.
• Paid Time Off: 37‑50 days of annual paid time, including 13‑26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays per year.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment – up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child‑Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full‑time employees with total family income below $144 000 may receive a subsidy up to 25 % of eligible childcare costs (monthly maximum $416.66).
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5 % contributions by VA.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care and other federal insurance programs available.
• Telework: Not available.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 51072‑F