Social Worker- HUD VASH

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Oakland Park (FL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Social Worker to partner with local Public Housing Authorities and deliver comprehensive services to homeless Veterans in HUD‑VASH. The role ensures care is coordinated with VA Medical facilities and community providers and is subject to licensure requirements before hiring.

Applicants may be referred while Edu/licensure requirements are in progress; full qualification must be met for permanent placement.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work from CSWE-accredited program.
• Current state licensure or certification for independent practice at the master's level.
• English language proficiency in speaking and writing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact with local Public Housing Authorities.
• Provide comprehensive social work services to homeless Veterans in HUD‑VASH.
• Coordinate care with VA Medical Facility, community health or mental health providers, and agencies serving homeless populations.

Skills

Counseling skills

Assessment skills

Communication skills

Crisis intervention

Education

MSW from CSWE-accredited program

Job description

The Social Worker will serve as a primary point of contact partnering with the local Public Housing Authorities, provide comprehensive social work services to homeless Veterans and their families enrolled in the Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, ensure the Veteran's care is appropriately coordinated with the VA Medical Facility, community health or mental health providers, and agencies that serve homeless populations. 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. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• 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).
• Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the Basic Requirements provided in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39, paragraph 3, of the Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185 Veterans Health Administration, the following are the grade requirements.

Grade Determinations

• Experience: For Selection at the GS-09 Level - Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. VHA social workers who are NOT licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam.
• Experience: For Selection at the GS-011 Level - 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.
• Education: Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. 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.
• 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/.
  • 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs for the GS-09 level:

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

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs for the GS-11 level:

• (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
• (b) 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.
• (c) 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.
• (d) 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.
• (e) 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Dated September 10, 2019

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: It is VA policy to ensure that all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit to perform the duties of the position to which assigned. A pre-placement physical examination is required for all full-time, part-time and intermittent employees identified by VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment to determine the physical and mental fitness for candidates for appointment in VA. The examination will be concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and will include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. The work is primarily sedentary, but may require some walking, bending, stooping, standing, stretching, and carrying objects. The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13\" to 16\" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty.