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Social Worker

Armed Forces Retirement Home
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Gulfport MS, in Health Care Services. The Social Worker performs clinical work independently in providing a wide range of challenging social work services that are essential to the well-being of Residents/families in Long-Term Care (LTC) and Independent Living.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/02/2025 to 07/09/2025
Salary
$73,939 to - $96,116 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
Gulfport, MS
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
25-AFRH-12757486
Control number
839892400

Duties

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As a Social Worker, you will:

  • Provide social work services for a geriatric population who experience a variety of complex social, medical, and psychiatric problems, focusing on the social and emotional impact of physical and mental illness or impairment, enhancing the quality of life by establishing therapeutic relationships with Residents and their families/significant others, and effectively managing interpersonal issues ranging from intimacy to aggression and violence.
  • Ensure that Residents' self-determination is safe guarded to the extent possible through actively involving them in planning and decision-making. Locate and arrange resources, understanding how systems interact and what resources are available to meet the identified needs.
  • Effectively relate to the Resident's family members who are feeling guilt related to placement. Use expert knowledge, manage Residents with palliative care and End-of-life issues both with the Residents and family members. Responsible for the completion and updating of the living will and advanced directives.
  • Render advice and handle the Resident's personal financial aspects by setting up controlled accounts and obtaining coupons. Call family/attorneys when financial funds are low. Read and interpret mail, bills, financial and Medicare/Tri-care statements and help Resident pay bills. Order checks and problem solves with banks. Assist with compiling and gathering documents for tax preparation. When necessary, is involved in the sale of personal property/belongings if Resident is in a diminished condition and his/her family members are unable to assist. Assist Residents in signing up for Medicare and supplemental insurances. Assist the Residents in completing the annual VA enrollment forms.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

This opportunity is also open to Status Candidates under Announcement 25-AFRH-12757487. Please refer to that announcement for details on open period, eligibility, and how to apply.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé.

The AFRH ethics program promotes the highest standards of ethical conduct for all employees. As a federal employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, and the U.S. criminal conflict of interest statutes. As an AFRH employee, you will also be subject to the AFRH Supplemental Ethics Regulations which restrict the extent to which a AFRH employee can engage in certain activities and hold certain investments. Depending on your position, you may also be required to file a public or confidential financial disclosure report which must be filed within 30 days of your appointment as an employee of AFRH. Upon your new appointment, you will receive guidance regarding your ethics obligations. You will also be required to attend a mandatory ethics training within 3 months of your appointment. Please contact the Agency Ethics Officer (Joseph Pollard) at (202) 541-7557, or joseph.pollard@afrh.gov if you should have any questions.

Key Requirements:
  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

Education: You must have fulfilled all of the requirements for a master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; AND

Licensure: You must possess a current State or DC license to practice as an Independent Practitioner. Only Clinical Social Worker, Independent Clinical Social Worker or Certified Social Worker licenses are qualifying for this position. Licenses for Master Social Worker are not qualifying for this position. You must have substantial experience in a healthcare setting in dealing with geriatric population, dementia, and/or medical and psychiatric social work skills and experience; AND

Licensure: You must qualify for and maintain credentials in the Healthcare Services Department as an Independent Healthcare Provider.

AND

Specialized experience for the GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:

  • Providing admission preparation, assessment, counseling, day-to-day assistance, initiation and revision of care plans, and integrated services to effectively coordinate resident/patient care within a geriatric population.
OR you may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:
  • Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field; or
  • 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field; or
  • LL.M., if related.
OR you may qualify on a combination of education and experience:

To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100% percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

SPECIAL NOTE: Long-term care experience and/or interacting with geriatric patients is highly desired.

Education

Education Requirements: You must have fulfilled all of the requirements for a master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • This is a bargaining unit position - AFGE American Federation of Government Employees Local 1027
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • A one year probationary period may be required.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment.
  • Selectees will be subject to the AFRH Tuberculosis Surveillance Program.
  • Wear required safety clothing and/or equipment required by the position. This may include safety shoes, hard hats, hearing protection, gloves, masks, etc.
  • Because the AFRH's mission requires uninterrupted, direct human support and medical care for its Residents, this position is considered essential for continuing AFRH operations. Therefore, the incumbent is expected to arrive for duty on time, as scheduled, and to complete the assigned tour during emergency situations such as hazardous weather.

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:

  • Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
  • Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
  • Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
  • A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
  • A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.

Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Rating: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Analytical, Attention to Detail, Communication, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Reading Comprehension, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, and Technical

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories: A (highest quality category), B (middle quality category), or C (minimally qualified category), depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score in the middle category or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

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