Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties and functions of the Senior Social Worker, Non-Institutional Care Programs (CADHC) include but are not limited to the following:

• The incumbent is responsible for independently coordinating, scheduling, and assuring that initial and annual reviews are completed for approved Community Adult Day Health Care (CADHC) facilities in the required timeframes set forth in VA policy. This includes community adult day health care facilities approved in CCN, local contract or Provider Agreement comply with VA Directives and standard operating procedures. Must have a good knowledge of Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Standards (CMS) concerning NIC programs. This includes providing current data to local, VISN and/or VACO Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) as requested.
• The incumbent is responsible for independently overseeing the admission of Veterans into the CADHC Program and to ensure they meet VA eligibility requirements. The incumbent is responsible for assuring that Quality Assurance monitors related to this program are completed and reported in accordance with Medical Center Policy. The incumbent is responsible for reporting and investigating Sentinel/Adverse Events to Central Office via the GEC Social Work Supervisor, Chief Social Work Service, to the VISN liaison for the CADHC Program.
• The incumbent is responsible for assuring the oversight of services and care coordination for Veterans admitted to the CADHC Program in accordance with the Integrated Veteran Care (IVC) Field Guidebook within stated timeframes. He/She monitors documentation to ensure it is completed after each visit and reauthorized timely, in the Veteran's VA Medical Record using approved templates and software program; e.g. CPRS, VistA, HSRM, Cerner, etc..
• The incumbent independently provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources and VA entitlements. The incumbent acts as liaison between VA and the approved community provider.
• The incumbent works independently in providing appropriate documentation, review and follow-up of complaints within all NIC Programs. This includes follow-up on substantiated complaints against community providers, which may be investigated by the Third-Party Administrator (TPA). He/she is also responsible for organizing and preparing reports concerning the NIC Programs for the GEC Social Work Supervisor, Chief Social Work Service, Medical Center Director, VISN Liaison, and Central Office.
• The incumbent provides both informal and formal education to VA staff, as well as NIC Program staff and community providers, on any changes in VA policy concerning their specific programs. The incumbent attends and participates in VISN and VACO monthly and quarterly conference calls, disseminating information to VA staff and agency staff as indicated.
• The incumbent attends and or participates in a variety of monthly and quarterly conference calls, disseminating needed information to VA staff and community agency staff as warranted.
• The incumbent evaluates his/her practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means. Is active in and accepts responsibility for the development and maintenance of professional standards of treatment.
• The Social Worker will fulfill ethical responsibilities to Veterans, colleagues, and VA in accordance with relevant discipline Code of Ethics, VHA Code of Ethics, and local Ethics policies, which includes but is not limited to compliance with all laws and regulations related to confidentiality and release of information and protecting Veterans' personal identifying information.
• There may be times when this position requires work in the community which may include the ability to operate a government vehicle and transport passengers and maintain a valid driver's license.
• The incumbent utilizes standardized instruments in the assessment of mental health problems/conditions including the use of Measurement-Based Care.
• The incumbent will participate in all assigned meetings to include individual, team huddles, and will participate in both social work and matrix, staff meetings.
• The incumbent will participate and assist with coordination of coverage for social work services on the assigned unit/service, and when needed for other programs or teams both inpatient and outpatient as needed.
• As a Senior Social Worker, the incumbent provides clinical supervision to unlicensed and/or Social Work interns with the Orlando VAHCS to staff to obtain license.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Ad-hoc - Based on Service needs
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 82673F
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

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.
• 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. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written. English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education (Transcripts submitted)- 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 tohttp://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
• Licensure (Documentation Uploaded). 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 and meet the criteria).

GRADE DETERMINATIONS

Senior Social Worker, GS-12

• Experience and 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:
  1. 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.
  2. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
• Preferred Experience. Experience in performing assessments, treatment planning, care coordination, crisis intervention, and advocacy. Experience working with client populations experiencing homelessness. Able to work independently providing psychosocial support to client populations with highly complex health, substance use, and/or mental health problems. Experience in locating and obtaining community resources, building and maintaining working relationships with external customers, and assisting clients with linkage to appropriate referrals.

Reference. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements. Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center, standing for extended periods of time, and involves sitting at a computer and in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams. Work is performed in a wide range of settings, including office/clinic setting with minimal risks that require normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The position requires the ability to handle multiple tasks in sometimes stressful situations while engaging in counsel and consultation with Veterans and interdisciplinary teams.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of consideration: Eligible applications will be reviewed in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility
2. All other VA employees

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.