Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education: You must 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
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• Licensure or Certification: You 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/
• 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: Senior Social Worker GS-0185-12: Licensure Requirement: You 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 must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• AND Experience Requirement: You must possess 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
• Examples of specialized experience include - but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect - exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• use of clinical social work skills
• maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies - handbooks or directives
• acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members - identifying the patient's strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and psychosocial acuity
• Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• 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
• 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
• 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 populations - Veteran's in Particular Experience coordinating with community agencies - organizations - and groups to provide services and resources for individuals experiencing homelessness Work experience reflects ability to facilitate compliance and/or corrective actions when appropriate to help accomplish program requirements
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the Medical Center and the 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 may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where incumbent conducts interviews with the Veterans - their families - representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies
• Environment Requirements: Reports safety hazards - accidents and injuries
• Responds as appropriate to the Emergency Preparedness Plan
• Adheres to security policies and procedures
• Demonstrates compliance with Federal - State and local environmental requirements preventing pollution - minimizing waste and conserving cultural and natural resources.

Duties

• This Senior Social Worker position is within the Mental Health Service at the White River Junction or Littleton - NH location
• This position is full-time at 40 hours per week
• This position is designated as mobile work
• Mobile work is a condition of employment and is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite
• Examples of mobile work include site audits - site inspections - investigations - property management - and work performed while commuting - traveling between worksites - or on Temporary Duty (TDY)
• VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The incumbent will work in the HUD-VASH program HUD's Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with VA case management and supportive services for homeless Veterans
• These services are designed to help homeless Veterans and their families find and sustain permanent housing and access the health care - mental health treatment - substance use counseling and other supports necessary to help them in their recovery process and within their ability to maintain housing in the community
• Senior Social Workers assigned to the HUD-VASH Program have specialized clinical expertise in an area applicable to the HUD-VASH program - such as care to Veterans experiencing homelessness - care to Veterans recovering from trauma - experience in the treatment of mental illness or experience with evidence-based treatment modalities
• In addition to the duties of a HUD-VASH case manager - duties may include but are not limited to: the Senior Social Worker provides leadership on a team - as part of a workgroup or in implementing an initiative
• Senior Social Workers provide clinical supervision to unlicensed Social Workers and students or otherwise are responsible for training less-experienced staff within the HUD-VASH program
• Senior Social Workers represent VA in workgroups - participation in community committees or Continuum of Care boards - and by-name list or Coordinated Entry meetings
• Senior Social Workers are responsible for an administrative aspect of the program - such as voucher utilization - data tracking or facilitating the portability process
• Senior Social Workers work closely with homeless programs staff at all levels to facilitate knowledge sharing - recommendations for system improvement and assessment of need
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday- Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Authorized for Mobile Work Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 405-F08185 at GS-12 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Hannah Neilson - Hannah.Neilson@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions or assistance on how to begin the application process
• Learn more EDRP Assignment Code: B3 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Notification: -This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• -This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
• -The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• -Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• -Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.