Clarification from the agency

This job is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent Federal employees of other Agencies.

A recruitment incentive has been authorized with a service agreement.

The SUD Specialist supports the HUD-VASH Program by providing continuity of care between Homeless Programs through services to Veterans with SUDs as they transition from programs such as Domiciliary or Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (RRTPs), Health Care for Homeless Veterans Contracted Housing, and Grant Per Diem Programs to HUD-VASH. The Social Worker provides on-going substance use case management and early treatment interventions to promote sustained stability and abstinence in HUD-VASH subsidized permanent housing. These Veterans are frequently homeless due to their SUD activities, so providing SUD treatment support and early intervention promotes recovery, improved quality of life and successful permanent housing. These Veterans are also frequently diagnosed with co-occurring mental health, physical health and social problems that require particular skill in early intervention and crisis management. The Social Worker must be able to develop appropriate professional relationships with the Veterans and meet the Veteran where he or she is ready to engage in treatment. The Incumbent also will need to develop liaison relationships with more acute treatment providers/ programs The Social Worker will provide appropriate group and individual case management and treatment. The Incumbent in this position will be responsible for additional coordinator program duties as assigned.

Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide direct SUD services for HUD-VASH in the Medical Center.
• Provide Outreach services for HUD-VASH in the community.
• Provide training for other members of the multidisciplinary treatment team in areas related to SUD assessment, anger management, and life skills and SUD with co-occurring disorders.
• Independently conduct intake and needs assessment of homeless Veterans and their significant others. Identifies symptoms leading to clinical diagnoses of SUD.
• Provide all necessary assessment functions, e.g. interviewing, psychosocial histories, and SUD assessments to aid in the development of treatment plans.
• Develop comprehensive treatment plans with the Veteran that address the factors that contributed to homelessness, including SUD and other co-occurring factors within a recovery model framework.
• Work with the Veteran to realize the Veteran's treatment goals, and reassesses and revises goals as indicated by the Veteran's engagement in treatment.
• Organize and conducts individual and group case management and SUD treatment, to include early interventions and supportive follow-up to ensure stability in home visits and facility-based contacts.
• Provide SUD support to the HUD-VASH team as a functional member of this team, to include consultation, interventions, or accompanying other case managers on home visits, when indicated by suspicion of HUD-VASH participant SUD use.
• Serve as a member of a multidisciplinary homeless program treatment team.
• Develop partnerships with community agencies, especially those serving homeless and SUD Veterans, with regular contact and communication.
• Provide liaison services with other programs referring homeless Veterans to HUD-VASH to ensure continuity of care and promote successful transition of Veterans from one program to another.
• Provide consultative services to HUD-VASH, as needed.
• Participate in policy making, goal setting, and treatment service planning discussions with other members of HUD-VASH and Homeless Programs.
• Provide appropriate clinical documentation for all contacts with or about Veterans.
• Responsible for the collection of statistical data and for reviewing the data to improve performance and delivery of services to homeless Veterans.
• Provide recovery-oriented treatment with the goal of establishing the Veteran independently in the community at the Veteran's highest level of functioning and quality of life.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/26/2020.
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.
• 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.
• 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 or actively working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification.
• Driver's License. The incumbent of this position must possess an appropriate valid state issued driver's license to operate sanctioned vehicles in the transporting of patients and/or equipment.

• (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 G-39

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

Physical Requirements:
Employee will have to drive a government vehicle and transport Veterans at times.
Employee will have to walk on uneven ground in fields, parking lots, along rivers.
Employee will have to enter Veteran's homes which may have hazards that require a degree of physical coordination.
Employee will have to walk up and down stairs, reach above their head, carry up to 44 lbs, lift up to 44 lbs, and use their hands and fingers.
Employee will have to work outside in the elements and in indoor spaces that are not maintained by the VA.
Employee will have to utilize a keyboard and mouse to access VA electronic resources.

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, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. For internal selectees eligible for promotion, the board will recommend grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.

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.