Summary
This position is located in Geriatric and Extended Care Service of the Fayetteville NC VA Coastal Healthcare System. The duties and responsibilities are carried throughout the Healthcare System including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the services.
This job is open to
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from current employees of the Fayetteville NC VA Coastal Healthcare System. Candidate must reside within 50 mile commuting distance of either Wilmington HCC or Fayetteville VAMC - Ramsey Street
NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.
Duties
Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Administers information and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of service provided to Veterans in the Rede?ning Elder Care in America Project (RECAP). Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, inpatient days, patient demographics, equipment utilization and patient satisfaction. Develops implements and evaluates clinical guidelines and protocols to establish appropriate utilization of services and referrals to Non-Institutional Care Programs. Contacts and establishes a continuing relationship with the Veteran, evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate. Meets with Veterans to assess accomplishments and re-establish goals as needed. Makes recommendations for care and changes to interdisciplinary treatment plan.
Interviews Veterans and their family members/signi?cant others to obtain facts about the Veteran's situation, presenting problems and causes, and the impact of such problems on the Veteran's functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. The assessment focuses on the patient in the context of family and community by integrating an assessment of living conditions, individual and family dynamics, and cultural background into the patient's plan of care. Interprets and explains VA's treatment, services, and bene?t programs.
Reviews all data, subjective and objective, and makes a clinical assessment, identifying needs and strengths. E?ectively uses professional skill, objectivity and insight. Uses advanced clinical training, insight and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Assesses high risk factors, acuity and need for services.
Has the ability to serve Veterans who have serious, frequent medical crises, lack of adequate family or community support network, have limited ?nancial resources, are poor at self-monitoring, frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment, have signi?cant de?cits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychological support. Has the ability to serve Veterans su?ering from life-altering traumatic physical disabilities. Clients include those at high risk of continuous or repeated institutionalization.
Independently evaluates the client's situation, including the Veteran's reaction to it and ability to deal with it, and arrives at a reasoned conclusion. Based on the psychosocial assessment, uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan, involving the Veteran and family or signi?cant others. Performs insightful assessment of serious and complicated cases involving psychiatric illness, catastrophic medical conditions, dementia and other high-risk diagnoses.
Makes independent professional decisions and recommendations for agency action. Cases involved hard-to-reach personalities and the problems are di?cult to deal with. Consequences to the Veteran may be serious and the results are often unpredictable. On an inpatient/outpatient basis, ?nds a suitable means of treatment to help Veterans and/or signi?cant others cope with stressful situations. Treatment is aimed at helping Veterans ?nd practical solutions to problems.
Develops psychosocial treatment plans in coordination with interdisciplinary team members, including goals for psychosocial treatment. Using known available resources and the initial assessment of the Veteran's likelihood to accept di?ering types of assistance, makes initial and ongoing decisions regarding use of VA and non-VA services and referrals. Arrives at a reasoned conclusion as to the preferred course of action. Provides independent consultation and makes recommendations to interdisciplinary team on course of treatment.
Must have knowledge of the vast array of VA, federal, state and local community agencies and resources. Incumbent must also have knowledge of terminal illness and end of life planning processes. Independently implements the appropriate action, even in instances where actions can have serious impact on the life of the Veteran. This might include long-term institutional or nursing home care or separation from family members. These decisions are based on the social worker's advanced practice skills, professional judgment and expertise regarding the Veteran's ability to care for himself/herself, the family support system, the Veteran's health care needs and possible consequences.
Performs other directly related duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm
Telework: Ad Hoc, as determined by the agency policy
Requirements
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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- 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.
Qualifications
The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9), as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419, enacted November 1, 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA, all applicants must meet the following:
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).
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/.
GS-12:
Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
Experience and Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. 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.
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following:
Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.
Education
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- License
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link
https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
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.
- License
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/06/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12894968.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.