Social Worker

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Develop an assessment of the veteran in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team the veteran family members and significant others.
• Developing the treatment plans and setting achievable treatment goals with the veteran/family.
• Work collaboratively with the veterans assigned Firm/clinic social worker as appropriate for discharge planning and community services.
• Collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the veterans needs.
• Responsible for educating the veteran and/or caregiver of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the veterans preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker.
• Responsible for using the current social work resource file of VA and community social service programs and enhancing the content to the benefit of veterans.
• Maintain resource directories sufficient to meet variety of situations and conditions across age and gender specific needs.
• Educate and encourage the veteran/family to advocate on own behalf thus fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.
• Experienced in making rapid assessments and developing crisis management plans for referral to appropriate MH services.
• In the event of a medical or psychiatric emergency staff will follow facility protocols.
• Provides education related to VA and community resources entitlements advance directives/Living Will and will refer veterans/families to the appropriate interdisciplinary team member for identified health education needs.

• 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.
• 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:

United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

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.

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 masters degree level.

Grandfathering Provision. 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).

English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Social Worker GS-11
Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

OR

Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services.
• Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic educational and other backgrounds.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries common medications and their effects/side effects and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan.
• Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals families and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems to achieve treatment goals.
• Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers social work graduate students and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.