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Social Services Assistant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Social Services Assistant - Whole Health Partner position functions as an interdisciplinary team member, assisting physicians and other professional/non-professional personnel in a whole health partnership. The position is located at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Haven, Connecticut.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/31/2022 to 09/08/2022
Salary
$46,797 to - $60,836 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6
Location
West Haven, CT
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 9/30/2023
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CARZ-11632584-22-SMH
Control number
674627500

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

The Social Services Assistant - Whole Health Partner performs a wide range of tasks to assist Veterans and peers of all ages, from young adult to old age. They possess knowledge of internal and external resources to support the Veteran journey through the Whole Health System and connects Veterans to the best options to support their health and well-being while establishing an on-going relationship. The Social Services Assistant - Whole Health Partner leads Whole Health Orientation, Introduction to Whole Health, and Taking Charge of My Life and Health Groups following subsequent educational trainings.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Provides information and advocates for Veterans' personal health goals and plan, and shared goals with clinical care team.
  • Functions as the steward of how to navigate the whole health system and orient Veterans new to the program about the services, hours, locations, staff, tools, resources, and other pertinent information.
  • Assists the Veterans to explore core elements of personal health planning, exploration of what matters to the Veteran, self-assessment using the components of health and well-being, identification of goals and potential actions in self-care areas, and identification of support and follow-up to implement a plan.
  • Assists Veterans in this exploration through one-to-one or group sessions.
  • Facilitates group programs aimed at exploring the components of health and well-being, informs Veterans about community and mutual supports and how to use these to support health and well-being goals.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

NOTE: This is a TEMPORARY appointment (not-to-exceed 9/30/2023). This appointment may be renewed for additional service in accordance with Agency needs for 1 additional year. Temporary positions offer health insurance (if the employee is expected to work at least 130 hours per month for at least 90 days) but do not offer life insurance or retirement benefits and may be terminated at any time before the expiration date. The appointment to a Temporary position does not confer eligibility for promotion or reassignment to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment.

Requirements

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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
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

In addition to meeting the English Language Proficiency requirement, in order to qualify for this position at the GS-6 level, you must possess the following:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Social Services Assistant - Whole Health Partner position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience includes serving as a group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs; serving as a counselor in a youth summer camp; serving as an instructor in a training program for the development of job skills; performing work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew; serving as a group activities leader in the Armed Services; serving as a unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility; serving as an aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government), employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development; serving as an aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities; serving as an aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~

Education: Successfully completed at least one-half year of graduate level education (9 semester hours above a Bachelor's degree) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Lead Social Services Assistant - Lead Whole Health Partner position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~

Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Lead Social Services Assistant - Lead Whole Health Partner position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

  • Communication
  • Customer Service
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Team Building


IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such 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; religious; 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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement. VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Physical Requirements: The work will involve using a laptop computer at docking stations in staff cubicles/office space, outpatient treatment rooms, and group/conference rooms. The work will involve walking around to different workspaces within the clinic and thus conveying a patient centered environment where providers go to the patient. The physical demands include presenting oneself in an energetic way to create positive attitudes about health and well-being for Veterans, families, VA employees, and stakeholders. The position is responsible for participating in and facilitating group-based and individual classes for Veteran patients and must be able to move from site to site to facilitate such classes. Some of the work will be performed in a healthcare clinic setting in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. Portions of the work will involve going to community organizations on behalf of Veterans for the purpose of connecting Veterans to VA and non-VA services which support Veterans' established health goals and behaviors. Whole Heath Partners who may be located at a main facility campus, at CBOCs, embedded in the community (e.g. vet centers, YMCAs, community centers, etc.) and ensuring the delivery of Group Based Curriculum and individual exploration of goals for health and well-being. Additional Tele-health/CVT delivery of sessions may be required.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (203) 932-5711.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

  • Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
  • Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
  • Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.
Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

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.

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