Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Exhibits a high level of skill and expertise in the work with patients and families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated mental, emotional, behavioral, physical, psychosocial, and environmental problems.
• Uses the social work process (psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment) in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to develop holistic case management plans and psychosocial interventions.
• Evaluates the need for mental health services and makes appropriate referrals for individual, group, marital and family treatment services.
• Must be sensitive to the ethnic and cultural diversity and age-specific challenges of the Post 9/11 population and adjusts intervention and treatment plans as appropriate.
• Participates fully in developing, planning, implementing and evaluating the ICP Checklist, including periodic updates.
• Coordinates care with interdisciplinary team to promote continuity for Post 9/11 SM/Vs and their families.
• Researches, develops maintains and uses appropriate community resources.
• Serves as an advocate for Post 9/11 SM/Vs and their families, helping them access needed services at the facility, at other VA facilities, and in the community.
• Assists Post 9/11 SM/Vs and their families with advance directives, guardianships, and applications for home care and extended care services.
• Participates in the orientation, training, and teaching of social work graduate students and other trainees and staff
• Exhibits a high level of skill and expertise in the work with patients and families who are experiencing a wide range of complicated mental, emotional, behavioral, physical, psychosocial, and environmental problems.
• Uses the social work process (psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment) in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to develop holistic case management plans and psychosocial interventions.
• Evaluates the need for mental health services and makes appropriate referrals for individual, group, marital and family treatment services.
• Supports the mission, policies, and procedures of VA, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the appropriate Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN),
• Serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN, and/or VA Central Office levels.
• Maintain a level of productivity and quality consistent with facility and Social Work standards and the complexity of the assignment.
• Participates in IDCMRT meetings, appropriate facility meetings, and Social Work meetings. Shares knowledge and experiences gained from own clinical practice and education relevant to the field of Social work.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: ADHOC, as determined by facility
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Not required

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
• Must have a current, valid driver's license.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/02/2026.
Basic Requirements:

• 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/.
• 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).

In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grade(s) in which you are applying.

Grade Determinations:

GS-09:

Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) for Social Worker GS-09.

• Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. This requires knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological), and the differential influences of the environment, society, and culture.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
• 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.

GS-11

Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of 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.

OR,

Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 5005-50, Part II, Appendix G39, SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD, dated September 10, 2019. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably while working. However, there may be some light exertion required when walking; standing, bending or climbing stairs, carrying of light items such as papers, books, small objects, or driving an automobile. Employee must have valid driver's license and be able to operate a government vehicle as some of the duties will require community outreach, and the ability to work from various VA ECHCS clinic locations and Veteran home visits. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. Ability to complete a Basic Life Support (BLS) course is a position requirement.

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.