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Senior Social Worker (HCHV Outreach Program)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
VA Montana Health Care System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is an open continuous posting. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until 9/29/23, candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.

The Senior Social Worker coordinates outreach to homeless Veterans across the state of Montana including but not limited to scheduling, coordinating and participating in community Stand Down events statewide. Incumbent may contact Veterans throughout the community at missions, soup kitchens, shelters, and other treatment facilities.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/19/2023 to 09/29/2023
Salary
$82,830 to - $107,680 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Missoula, MT
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSU-11955384-23-KC
Control number
726857400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is open to the public. ****If you ARE a current federal employee, please apply to the public announcement CBSU-11955383-23-KC**** This position is also open for Senior LPMHC to apply for this announcement please apply to: Public Senior LPMHC: CBSU-11955382-23-KC Internal Senior LPMHC: CBSU-11955381-23-KC

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Duties

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  • Incumbent provides a wide variety of case management activities including screening of referrals, verifying eligibility for VA services, coordinating care and participating in admissions, treatment planning and discharges.
  • Incumbent is responsible for ensuring timely responses to homeless consults in CPRS and the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (NCCHV) according to required standards.
  • The incumbent is responsible for the assessment, identification, facilitation, referral and linkage to appropriate medical and psychiatric services within the VA and the community.
  • The incumbent ensures that all interactions with the veteran are documented according to facility policies and procedures in the medical record (CPRS) and the Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES). Incumbent completes a comprehensive psychosocial evaluation of all Veterans at entry into HCHV services
  • The incumbent serves as the HCHV point of contact for multiple CBOC locations spread throughout the VA Montana care network.
  • The incumbent completes site visits to CBOC locations on a regular and reoccurring basis and provides direct assistance to onsite staff.
  • The incumbent maintains a working knowledge of resources available in each area they serve and builds strong relationships with community providers and local housing authorities.
  • the incumbent provides wrap-around support for Veterans engaged in other Homeless Program services and may serve as the primary point of contact for Veterans living in areas with limited or no nearby providers.
  • The incumbent operates independently and demonstrates sound clinical judgment with minimal need for supervisory oversight.
  • The incumbent administers informational and analytical systems to evaluate and enhance the quality of services provided to veterans.
  • The incumbent manages and controls the use of data regarding day to day functioning and program evaluation. Incumbent develops and implements data tracking systems to track services provided to veterans, patient demographics, and patient satisfaction.
  • The incumbent develops, implements and evaluates services using clinical guidelines, protocols, and directives to establish appropriate utilization of services.
  • The incumbent provides subject matter consultation to colleagues, students and community providers on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in the specialty area, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise.
  • The incumbent models effective counseling practice skills and mentors staff and students in the specialty area of practice.
  • The incumbent participates in local and regional Homeless Coalitions, Continuums of Care, Coordinated Entry Systems and represents Homeless programs and the VAMC.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Telework: Ad-HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
.Functional Statement #: 436-57189-O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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

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.
  • Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States.
  • 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.
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).

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.

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 working with homeless individuals. Knowledge of Montana based community resources.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39

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

Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers, and files. In carrying out responsibilities it will be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, their families, representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. The incumbent must possess current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties.

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

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

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

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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, résumé, 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.

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