Clarification from the agency

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

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Senior social workers assigned to the HUD-VASH program have specialized clinical expertise in an area applicable to the HUD-VASH program, such as care to Veterans experiencing homelessness, care to Veterans recovering from trauma, experience in the treatment of mental illness or experience with evidence-based treatment modalities.

The HUD-VASH senior social worker is responsible for:

• Providing leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs.
• Clinical program development and accountability for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns.
• Incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatments.
• Providing outreach services to engage homeless Veterans, to include building collaborations with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure service delivery methods and service patterns match the identified patient need.
• Independently conducting interviews and assessments for the purpose of program enrollment and to aid in the development of treatment plans.
• Utilizing Housing First and other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement and self-efficacy.
• Assisting the Veteran with housing placement, beginning with the process of obtaining a HUD-VASH voucher from the Public Housing Authority (PHA) through the lease up process.
• Advocating on behalf of Veterans and their families with landlords, PHAs, community providers and VA programs.
• Developing and maintaining relationships and processes with the Continuum of Care, Coordinated Entry System, HUD Regional Offices, PHAs, and/or other internal and external stakeholders.
• Assisting Veterans to form and achieve goals to improve quality of life, to include the pursuit of employment, engagement in medical and mental health care, increased social supports, access to benefits and end of life planning.
• Providing community-based, clinical case management and care coordination services at the frequency commensurate with the Veteran's stage of case management, clinical needs, and preferences for care.
• Conducting home visits, with the intent of removing barriers for access to care, supporting housing stability and assessing social and community integration.
• Providing a wide range of social work interventions and services in both individual or group settings, to include psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management, as consistent with VHA Directive 1110.02 Social Work Professional Practice and approved scope of practice.
• Timely, accurate and clear documentation in the Electronic Health Record, Homeless Operations Management and Evaluations System (HOMES), and other applicable databases or platforms.
• Familiarity and adherence to the Housing and Urban Development Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program VHA Directive and HUD-VASH Operating Requirements.
• Other duties as assigned, as related to the needs of the program.
• The incumbent may be responsible for applying a one-team approach and assisting with coverage across all Health Care for Homeless Veteran (HCHV) programs and HUD-VASH positions.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VHAEDRPProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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 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).
• A valid state-issued driver's license and be cleared to drive a government vehicle.
• 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
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. 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. COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION PACKAGE.
• 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/. COPY OF CURRENT LICENSURE REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION PACKAGE.
  • Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

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:

GS-12, Senior Social Worker

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. COPY OF CURRENT LICENSURE REQUIRED WITH APPLICAITON PACKAGE.

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: Previous experience working with unhoused individuals

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

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

Physical Requirements: moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 lbs), use of fingers, operation of a motor vehicle, exposure to inside and outside elements, slippery or uneven walking surfaces, working around moving objects or vehicles, working closely with others.

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.