Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all US citizens. If you are a current permanent employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs or other Federal agency, apply to announcement number CAZM-11355676-22-LGJ. Although hybrid title 38 occupations follow title 5 Veterans' preference rules, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference to external applicants applying for this position as identified by VHA until 09/30/2022 as outlined in OCHCO Bulletin dated 10/26/2021.

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This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 02/07/2022. Additional applications will be referred as needed.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Providing clinical support
• Assisting in program development
• Providing shared case load support
• Managing a case load of Veterans receiving housing provided through HUD Section 8 voucher system throughout the WTVAHCS catchment area
• Performing site visits of HUD-VASH apartments to ensure that Veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes
• Responsible for reviewing agreements between Section 8, landlords, Public Housing Authorities and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements
• Meeting quarterly with Public Housing Authorities for reconciliation of active HUD/VASH participants
• Providing crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint
• Coordinating family conferences and serving as liaison to family members
• Maintaining knowledge of Suicide Prevention policy and procedure
• Recognizing warning signs for suicide ideation or recent self-directed violence and utilizing the identified screening tools to assess suicide risk
• Using business productivity software to execute several office automation functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files; inserting and deleting text, formatting letters, reports, and memoranda; and transmitting/receiving email
• Performing a wide range of services and providing technical assistance to State, local, private agencies, and universities
• Providing technical assistance to monitor activities and program reviews, and the development and analysis of information
• Independently providing consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan
• Applying ability to evaluate incumbents' own practice through professional peer review, case conferences and other organizational means
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from varied backgrounds
• Supervising the practice of social work students
• Participating in "on call" coverage for Social Work Service
• Performing other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Fulltime, Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Title/Functional Statement #:Senior Social Worker (Lead HUD/VASH)/PD000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for a highly qualified individual
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISNEDRP2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
This is a Bargaining Unit position

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
• 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
• Selected applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

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.
• 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/.
• Grandfathering Provision. 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).
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in crisis intervention, case management, resources, community referrals and discharge planning.
• Knowledge and understanding of housing rules and regulations.
• Experience with working in high stress atmosphere with the ability to adapt and adjust to daily schedule changes with a positive professional attitude.
• Knowledge of addressing and assessing complicated psychosocial problems with those experiencing crisis to include provision of short-term, solution-focused counseling.
• Advance clinical knowledge with ability to provide consultation of psychosocial needs and concerns to master's level and advance standing professionals. (LCSW Supervision Certification is not required).
• Certification in case management is preferred, not required.

Grade Determination:
Senior Social Worker GS-12

Experience/Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters 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 a specialty.

Licensure/Certification. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.
(b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
(c) Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
(d) Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.
(e) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Senior SW are licensed/certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level. Senior SWs typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center, or a national VHA referral center, such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center, or other program areas of equivalent scope/complexity. May be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness/modification of service patterns. Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision; collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. Provides leadership, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. Serves on committees, work groups and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. Assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management. Assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185 Veterans Health Administration 09/20/2019.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking (5 hours), standing (5 hours), operating of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid permitted), emotional and mental stability, cognitive stability and various hours based on need.

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.

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.

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.