Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Department of Veteran Affairs, current permanent Federal employees AND past, current upcoming participants of the VA Health Professions Training (HPT) Graduates. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Screening/Assessment
The Social Worker completes psychosocial assessments of the Veteran and when possible, obtains input from the interdisciplinary team, the Veteran and as available the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other for collaboration of a service plan. The incumbent completes the intake/brief psychosocial assessments to assess the needs of the Veteran, the willingness of the Veteran to participate in various services, and options for care coordination. The Service Plan created highlights the Veteran's strengths, limitations, internal/external supports, and service needs to optimize the Veteran's functional status, safely maintain the Veteran's current resources and assist the Veteran's return to an independent community living setting.

Treatment/Care Planning
The incumbent develops individualized service plans and sets achievable
treatment/care goals with the Veteran. The incumbent includes psychosocial problems in the service plans. The incumbent provides ongoing assessments and updating the Veteran's individualized service plan.

Referral to Service Providers
The incumbent uses VA and community-based resources to provide for the Veteran's needs. The incumbent collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's need for institutional and community-based benefits, services, and programs. The incumbent educates the Veteran, and as appropriate the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other about available services.

Resource Development
The incumbent updates and maintains a resource file of VA and community-based social service programs. The incumbent provides the Veteran general information about VA entitlements, benefits, and services, especially those relating to special programs, service connected compensation, and non-service-connected pension. The incumbent facilitates referrals based upon the Veterans needs and eligibility.

Advocacy
The incumbent advocates for the Veteran and as appropriate the Veteran's family, caregiver, and/or significant other. The incumbent educates the Veteran, the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other about methods of self-advocacy and encourage the Veteran, the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other to advocate on their own behalf to foster a sense of independence and empowerment.

Crisis Intervention
The incumbent assesses for crisis intervention as required to assist the Veteran, then connects the Veteran with the appropriate mental health provider for further evaluation, assistance, and intervention.

Patient Education/Health Promotion and Prevention
The incumbent provides education related to the Veteran's VA entitlements, eligibility, services, and programs, as well as housing and other community resources for medical and mental health needs. The incumbent will refer the Veteran and as appropriate Veteran's family, caregiver and significant other to the appropriate program interdisciplinary team members, VA services or programs, or external programs for identified education needs.

Coordination of Non-Institutional and Institutional Services
The incumbent provides referrals and consults for VA services and community-based services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team members. The incumbent is responsible for the coordination of referrals. This includes reviewing the progress notes from the other providers to accurately determine the strengths and limitations of each Veteran being referred for VA programs and non-VA alternatives. The incumbent will educate the Veteran about all options available. The incumbent will adhere to the Veteran's or as appropriate and within legal authority, the Veteran's family, caregiver, or significant other's option preference.

Administrative Responsibilities
The incumbent will enter all Veteran contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the Veteran is available as appropriate to other VA staff.

Education/Training
It is the responsibility of the incumbent to further her/his own professional growth through education, appropriate to the area of assignment and to maintain licensure required for practice of social work within the VA


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 54437-F; 54438-F
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 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

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
You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required 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/.

• 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. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified.
• For appointments at the GS-9 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.
• Failure to Obtain License or Certification. In all cases, social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

Note: 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.

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:
Social Worker, GS-9
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements above, to qualify for the GS-09, you must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors.
• (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.

Social Worker, GS-11
GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11, you must possess 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. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members. In collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams, identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity. Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals. -OR- 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.

In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• (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, educational, and other 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.

Preferred experience:

• Working with homeless: in the community, under bridges, at shelters, and in encampments
• Assessments: Mental Health, Psychosocial
• Completion of Clinical Reminders
• Case Management
• Brief Supportive Psychotherapy, Psychotherapeutic Intervention, and Evidence Based Psychotherapy
• Completion of C-SSRS, CSRE, and Safety Plans

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:

• Resume

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.

• Cover Letter
• License
• Extended Resume (if applicble)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps