Social Worker - HUD VASH Case Manager

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Greenville (SC); On-site; USD 68,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Clinical Social Worker for the Columbia VAMC HUD-VASH/ housing program. The role reports to the Supervisory Social Worker and Program Specialist, supporting intensive case management for homeless Veterans.

Responsibilities include program coordination, data tracking, and collaborative work with PHAs and VA stakeholders to secure housing vouchers and services, while adhering to national policies and local procedures.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work from CSWE-accredited school.
• Licensure or certification to practice social work at independent level is required.
• Experience with HUD-VASH or homeless veteran programs preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact for the HUD VASH program at the Columbia VAMC.
• Coordinate housing voucher applications and referrals with PHAs.
• Develop and monitor treatment plans and eligibility criteria.
• Collect data and track program performance indicators.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and community partners.

Skills

Veteran-centric care

Psychosocial assessment

Crisis intervention

Interagency coordination

Education

MSW - CSWE accredited

Job description

Summary

The Clinical Social Worker is a critical position in the Columbia VAMC Housing and Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUDNASH) Program and is under the supervision of the Supervisory Social Worker for the HUD/VASH Program/Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH Program. The HUD/VASH Program is a collaborative effort - supported through HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA's Provision of intensive case management services by acuity level.

Qualifications

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 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
• 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: 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/
• [(1) 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-09 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.] (a) For appointments at the GS-09 grade level - 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
• In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record
• (c) Different states have different levels of licensure or certification - making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level
• Each state - Puerto Rico - and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice
• Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services - and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social worker's level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards
• All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB
• Information can be found at https://www.aswb.org/
• The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work
• ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work
• The ASWB offers three examinations
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker - GS-09 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• 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-09 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this 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
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 - educational - and other 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
• Preferred Experience: Homeless Experience
• 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-09 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: his work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing - bending - reaching - crouching - stooping - stretching - and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals - record boxes - equipment or assisting patients
• See https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OCHCO/SitePages/D5019.aspx VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program
• You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment
• Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply
• Major duties for the position may include but are not limited to: The incumbent serves as one of the Medical Center's primary point of contact for the national HUD VASH Program - Office of Mental Health Services and VACO
• The incumbent ensures that the program is run in accordance with the National HUD VASH Program - Office of Mental Health Services and VACO directives and helps develop policies and procedures to govern the program at the Columbia VAMC
• The incumbent is responsible for data collection - record keeping - and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators - thresholds - and performance measurements
• Additionally - the incumbent develops working relationships and agreements with other organizations and directly coordinates with the designated PHA regarding housing voucher application and award process for each Veteran
• The incumbent is responsible to review the agreements between Section 8 landlords - PHAs - and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for placements
• The incumbent establishes - implements - and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD VASH Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs
• Referral - screening and admission criteria recognizes program eligibility - prioritization of subsets of the homeless Veteran population - requirements of the PHAs - and other policy - regulation - or law pertaining to program administration
• The incumbent develops and serves as the team member for the screening procedures to involve a multidisciplinary team approach and is responsible to ensure criteria and procedures are maintained
• The incumbent provides primary input for program participant selection based on structured interviews and clinical assessments
• The incumbent is responsible for coordination of emergent and temporary housing opportunities and services under the guidance of the Supervisory Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH
• The incumbent ensures that these components are commensurate with the goals and objectives of the HUD VASH program and its recovery model of care
• The incumbent will interface with the HUD-V ASH staff and the Supervisory Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH Programs on a regular basis related to matters of services delivery - program development - and job definition
• The incumbent will interface with colleagues from other VA facilities in order to ensure efficiently coordinated services to those members of the VISN - as well as the local community - including shelters
• The incumbent as a clinical Social Worker/Case Manager is responsible for the ongoing process of review - development - treatment planning and interventions with veterans as assigned
• The nature of the work will encompass a wide range of psychological - social and environmental issues
• The incumbent is therefore expected to possess and employ an effective range of social work knowledge and skill in providing effective intervention and resources at the independent level
• The incumbent's effective performance requires a good knowledge of community resources and various treatment modalities
• The incumbent is expected to participate in clinical staff meetings - treatment team meetings - and program planning meetings within the assigned areas and appropriate to the effective execution of assignment
• The incumbent regularly conducts and participates in outreach activities - including field interviews - assessments and referrals for homeless Veterans contacted in the community - shelters - and "on the streets -" as well as those who are referred by VA residential programs - medical centers or outpatient clinics
• The incumbent maintains current and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless - and when appropriate - represents VA at community service provider meetings
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 61288F - 61265F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact [e-mail] - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.