Senior Social Worker - Home Based Primary Care (HBPC)

Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all US citizens. *** If you ARE A CURRENT federal employee, please apply to vacancy CBSU-13067149-26-BAW open to current federal employees. *** Due to critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties and responsibilities of the position:

• Screening/Assessment - Develop an in-home assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others, whenever possible.
• Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - Independently provide a comprehensive psychosocial in home assessment. and integrates the compilation of that it into an overall plan of care in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the veteran, family members and significant others, whenever possible.
• Participates and can lead weekly interdisciplinary care planning meetings when asked by the HBPC Program Manager.
• Is empowered to design systems changes based on observations, data and experience.
• Addresses the unique needs of homebound, frail, disabling/chronic and/or dying veterans.
• Referral to service providers - Throughout the course of treatment the social worker is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources to include resources to maintain the veteran in his/her own home.
• Resource development - Responsible for developing a resource file of VA and community social service programs and will refer the veteran to needed services.
• Advocacy - Understands the intimidation of bureaucracy and will act as an advocate when it serves the best interest of the veteran/family.
• Crisis Intervention - Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans to maintain patient in home, for admission to acute, short term and/or long term placements.
• Education/Health promotion and prevention - Provide education relating to VA and community resources, entitlements, Advance Directives/Living Will and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.
• Coordination of non-institutional and institutional services - Responsible for the coordination of the referrals of non-institutional services such as ADHC, non-skilled homecare services for HBPC Team in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team members.
• Supportive counseling - Provide the veterans and their caregivers with ongoing supportive and grief counseling.
• Administrative responsibilities - Enter all the veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. Establish and main positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies.
• Provides services in serious and complex cases, often referred by other social workers and interdisciplinary team members. Carries full professional responsibility for cases presenting a wide range of biopsychosocial and environmental problems. The HBPC social worker may practice in both hospital and non-hospital patient care areas, notably in veteran's homes and other non-traditional treatment settings requiring autonomy, independent practices and coordination expertise.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Available, ad-hoc.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 436-60847-0
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• 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 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; and
• 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. 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/.

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:Supervisory Social Worker, GS-12
Education and Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. 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.
Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.(b) Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.(c) Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services.(d) Ability to provide staff training and development.(e) Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
Preferred Experience: Home Based Primary Care, PACT and/or Home Care experience.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

This vacancy is being announced above the full performance level at a GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor, as the position requires sitting, standing, and walking. Some travel is required as the incumbent is required to conduct monthly in person supervision at different sites of care and community outreach which may require traveling long distances. The emotional demands can be stressful in working with high-risk for suicide veteran population and their families. A high level of self-awareness is essential. Work, divided between office and clinical settings, is primarily sedentary. May require prolonged standing, moderate walking, and manual dexterity. Requires carrying light items, such as books, files, or laptop computer.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or 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 making a final selection for a position.

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

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)

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.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps