Clarification from the agency

First consideration will be given to current permanent employees at the Aleda E. Lutz Medical Center and affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinics. 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 include, but are not limited to:

• Clinical Functions (20%):
  • Independently completing comprehensive psychosocial assessments to evaluate Veteran's functioning, support systems, biopsychosocial stressors, and barriers to care.
  • Providing individual or group interventions to address adjustment to illness, mental health or substance use concerns, grief and loss, advanced care planning, housing instability, caregiver stress, and other psychosocial needs.
  • Delivering crisis intervention, risk assessment, safety planning, and coordination with mental health or emergency services as indicated.
  • Coordinating case management services, inclusive of care planning, facilitating access to resources and working collaboratively with PACT and interdisciplinary team members.
• Administrative and Supervisory Functions (80%):
  • Establishing clear performance standards and expectations though the performance management system.
  • Observing employee performance, providing ongoing feedback and complete formal competency evaluations and performance reviews.
  • Conduct clinical supervision and consultation to guide staff in managing complex psychosocial cases and implementing evidence based social work practice.
  • Assigning, coordinating, and monitoring workload to ensure equitable distribution, efficiency, and quality care delivery.
  • Supporting staff in the adoption of evidence based practices, Veteran centered care principles, and PACT aligned approaches to population health and chronic disease management.
  • Reviewing and approving/disapproving leave an ensuring adequate coverage across clinical areas.
  • Developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, procedures, workflows, and guidelines to enhance service efficiency and quality.
  • Using data systems to track service delivery, workload capture, utilization patterns, productivity, and Veteran outcomes

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 95269-0
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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.
• 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-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS 12:

• Education and Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.
• Licensure/Certification. Individuals assigned as Supervisory Social Workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines
  • Knowledge of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
  • Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services.
  • Ability to provide staff training and development.
  • Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers

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).

Preferred Experience: Prefer incumbent has experience working with the geriatric population, has some mental health experience. is a current or former Veterans Health Administration social worker, administrative experience to include social work supervisory duties, some exposure to contract negotiation.

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

Physical Requirements: The position is primarily active, with some bending, walking and stooping required. The position requires the ability to read printed material and read from computer screens. Required is the ability to accurately perceive depth so as to move around work space safely and to appropriately make contact with patients and staff. Considerable standing and walking is required. The incumbent must demonstrate emotional stability and mental clarity sufficient to exercise sound clinical judgment, make appropriate decisions, and provide safe, effective, and ethical patient care. The employee must be able to manage stress, regulate emotions in a professional manner, and maintain cognitive functioning adequate for assessment, treatment planning, and crisis intervention. This position requires the incumbent to occasionally travel by government vehicle to CBOC locations (valid driver's license required).

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 and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. All other applicants.

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.