Clarification from the agency

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

Videos

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

The Chief is responsible for defining the mission and vision of the Service, developing the scope of practice for all social workers, designing a Social Work Service Plan of Care, and assuring implementation of quality improvement measures. The incumbent is responsible for developing, planning, clarifying, administering and managing Social Work Services for all areas of the Medical Center.

• Ensures the administrative and clinical supervision of social work staff in their professional role.
• Ensures the provision of social work services and/or case management services in a variety of inpatient and outpatient program areas and clinics.
• Make decisions regarding work problems presented by subordinate social work supervisors.
• Make selections for supervisory and non-supervisory positions, hear group grievances and serious employee complaints, review serious disciplinary cases (i.e., those proposing suspensions and removals), and disciplinary problems involving key employees.
• Technical program development, management and evaluation that includes assessing the mission, goals, programs and problems of the medical facility in terms of psychosocial needs of patients and establishes social work objectives to meet those needs which are consistent with medical center goals.
• Reviews information pertaining to the social work programs from a variety of sources (e.g., federal, state and local including Veterans Health Administration, Joint Commission, National Association of Social Workers, Society of Social Work Administrators in Health Care of the American Hospital Association, etc.) and identifies requirements which must be expressed in medical facility written policies and procedures, drafts such statements or assigns tasks to subordinates to insure their completion.
• Develops procedures for and ensures the implementation and achievement of the provision of social work services to medical facility patients on inpatient and outpatient programs.
• Provides, or ensures that professional staff provides advice, assistance and consultation to community health and welfare agencies and councils and other community groups to enhance the provision of social services to veteran patients in the community.
• Performs, or assigns responsibility and reviews, the results of Social Work Service internal evaluation for program effectiveness.
• Identifies problems and corrective actions needed and reports results to top management both orally and in writing, when required.
• Aids management orally and in writing to determine appropriate action on audit recommendations from internal and external surveyors.
• Establishes and maintains or ensures the establishment and maintenance of an effective system of follow-up procedures to ensure that appropriate and effective action is taken on recommendations.
• Develops and monitors standards of clinical practice/standards of care for Social Work, including development of care guidelines, manuals and guides to professional practice.
• Develops consistent standard operating procedures required to accomplish clinical care interventions and ensures that they are followed.
• Justifies resource needs and develops appropriate requests in line with local policies and procedures.
• Establishes a system and procedures to monitor and control the financial resources assigned to Social Work Service.
• Identifies resources available in the local community related to patient and family needs for social work service and participates with community groups in the development of such resources.
• Develops and monitors Social Work staff training to ensure that required training is accomplished for purposes of maintaining ongoing skills, keeping up with new developments in the field, orientation of staff to the VA, Joint Commission requirements, licensing requirements, and other VA required training.

Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm (Monday-Friday)
Telework: Ad-Hoc
Functional Statement #: 00000
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

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Education: Must possess 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. 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. NOTE: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in Social Work.
• License: Must be licensed or certified be a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met to qualify at the GS-14 grade level.

• Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. The chief social work service must evidence possession of supervisory and management skills. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in administration, demonstrating progressively more professional competency skills and judgment. 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: The Chief Social Work 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:
  • Skill in providing the full range of supervisory duties across multiple service divisions/sections, which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluation, selection of staff, and recommendations of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions.
  • Skill in applying legal, ethical, and professional standards to social work practice.
  • Skill in developing, maintaining, and managing social work services in multiple divisions/sections.
  • Ability to ensure compliance with social work practice, policy, and accreditation standards across the continuum of health care.
  • Skill in providing consultation to facility leadership, managers, and other staff on social work qualification standards, practice, competency, productivity, and continuing education requirements.
  • Skill in administrative oversight to ensure compliance with social work licensure requirements.

Preferred Experience: Licensed Clinical Social Worker with at least 5 years of progressively responsible supervisory or leadership experience including oversight of multidisciplinary clinical programs and staff. Experience leading programs involving Social Work and Nursing disciplines.

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

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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.