Social Worker

VA Careers - Social Work: include but are not limited to the following:

• Will conduct mental health evaluations and psychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members. The incumbent functions as the ED provider for patients who present to the ED with behavioral health concerns providing crisis intervention provisional diagnosis treatment and disposition recommendations. Work may involve consultation with the on-call psychiatrist.
• Is an active participant in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
• Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and is responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate. Possesses knowledge of residential placement options including nursing homes and referral processes for alternative placement in the VA and community.
• Provides individual family and group counseling as appropriate.
• Makes referrals to a variety of appropriate programs such as Health Buddy MHICM Home Health Services and Psychosocial Rehab and Recovery Program and facilitates consults and appointments for aftercare.
• Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources and VA benefits.
• Provides case management to Veterans and families as needed throughout the continuum of care.
• Addresses Advance Directives and Organ Donation in accordance with the standards of their work area.
• As appropriate supervises the practice of social work interns or a less experienced social worker.
• Participates in committee assignments as deemed necessary by their supervisor.
• Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with Joint Commission VA and medical center policy and procedures.
• Assists patients and their significant others with coping and dealing with loss and grief experiences in disability terminal illness and death.
• Participate in a rotation of on-call social workers including modification of tour of duty to accommodate patient care needs on weekends.
• Assures timely and accurate documentation using appropriate notes and templates as defined within the facility ED Suicide Prevention Program and behavioral health.
• Perform other assigned duties.

• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• 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.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 section A paragraph 3g this part).
• Education. Have a masters 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Masters of Social Work.
• Licensure. People 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 masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified social workers must maintain a full valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Services.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).