Summary

HUD-VASH is a collaborative program which pairs 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.

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:

• 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)
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker - GS-12 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: 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
• 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)
• Preferred Experience: Experience working with vulnerable populations - including individuals experiencing homelessness - substance misuse - mental health diagnoses
• 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
• Physical Requirements: This position requires the operation of a government-owned or -leased motor vehicle in order to properly carry out assigned duties
• Refer to VA Handbook 5019/1 - Part II - Appendix A for requirements related to motor vehicle operators
• Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required - as is performing activities involving sitting - talking - driving - walking - standing - bending - the use of a computer and telephone and carrying such items as books - papers and files not to exceed facility determined weights
• In carrying out responsibilities - it is necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where they provide care to Veterans
• Care provided in emergency shelters - Veteran homes or other community locations may require the use of stairs - walking on uneven terrain and reasonable exposure to the elements
• Strenuous physical activity is not anticipated - although the incumbent is expected to withstand stress and interact with crisis situations as part of day-to-day activity.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The HUD-VASH senior social worker is responsible for: Providing leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs
• Clinical program development and accountability for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnoses and treatments
• Providing outreach services to engage homeless Veterans - to include building collaborations with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure service delivery methods and service patterns match the identified patient need
• Independently conducting interviews and assessments for the purpose of program enrollment and to aid in the development of treatment plans
• Utilizing Housing First and other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement and self-efficacy
• Assisting the Veteran with housing placement - beginning with the process of obtaining a HUD-VASH voucher from the Public Housing Authority (PHA) through the lease up process
• Advocating on behalf of Veterans and their families with landlords - PHAs - community providers and VA programs
• Developing and maintaining relationships and processes with the Continuum of Care - Coordinated Entry System - HUD Regional Offices - PHAs - and/or other internal and external stakeholders
• Assisting Veterans to form and achieve goals to improve quality of life - to include the pursuit of employment - engagement in medical and mental health care - increased social supports - access to benefits and end of life planning
• Providing community-based - clinical case management and care coordination services at the frequency commensurate with the Veteran's stage of case management - clinical needs - and preferences for care
• Conducting home visits - with the intent of removing barriers for access to care - supporting housing stability and assessing social and community integration
• Providing a wide range of social work interventions and services in both individual or group settings - to include psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management - as consistent with VHA Directive 1110.02 Social Work Professional Practice and approved scope of practice
• Timely - accurate and clear documentation in the Electronic Health Record - Homeless Operations Management and Evaluations System (HOMES) - and other applicable databases or platforms
• Familiarity and adherence to the Housing and Urban Development Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program VHA Directive and HUD-VASH Operating Requirements
• Other duties as assigned - as related to the needs of the program
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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) Telework: May be eligible for telework (Ad hoc)
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92852-O Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized