Summary

The HUD-VASH program is a collaborative effort - supported through HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA's provision of intensive case management services. The primary goal of HUD-VASH is to move veterans and their families out of chronic homelessness. The primary component of the program is VA case management services - designed to improve veteran's health and mental health while enhancing their ability to remain stable - housed and integrated into 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:

• 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 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
• 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
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• Exception
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified
• For appointments at the GS-9 grade level - VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam - and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• 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)
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker - GS-9 Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members - and to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the Veterans problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals
• This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive - problem solving - or crisis intervention techniques
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries
• common medications and their effects/side effects
• and medical terminology
• 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
• NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c
• 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 - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified 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
• 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-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination
• The work is generally sedentary in nature with daily intermittent walking - standing - bending - stooping - reaching and carrying of lightweight items required
• Periods of time may be moderately demanding to include increased driving - or assisting Veterans with impaired mobility while making visits to Veterans homes and other community agencies
• Intermittent complicated issues with Veteran or significant others may periodically become stressful
• Documentation in electronic medical record is required for position necessitating good hand/eye coordination
• Occasional lifting - moving or rare transporting of Veteran's possession weighing up to 40 lbs
• The incumbent may be required to travel between VA and/or Non-VA clinical care sites and possession of a valid driver's license may be required.

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 program is under the Mental Health Service Line reporting to the Mental Health Social Work Supervisor.Duties include but are not limited to the following: The incumbent serves as the medical center's primary point of contact for those Veterans who they are assigned as case manager
• The incumbent develops working relationships with other organizations and directly coordinates with the designated PHA regarding housing voucher application and awkward process for each veteran
• The incumbent is responsible for coordination between Section 8 landlords - PHAs and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for placements
• The incumbent establishes - implements and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD-VASH veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs
• The incumbent provides referral to VA medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits - as well as community-based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs including Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and Supportive Employment (SE)
• The incumbent implements referral procedures - screening and admission criteria
• The incumbent provides on-call crisis coverage as part of the homeless team and Sioux Falls VA Healthcare System Emergency Department as part of the regular rotation
• The incumbent's assignment may require an irregular tour of duty depending on the Veteran's needs
• The incumbent maintains and establishes new relationships with other community-based service providers for the homeless - and when appropriate represents VA at community service provider meetings
• A home visit to the Veteran's residence once housed is determined by clinical need and according to Handbooks and other directives
• The incumbent evaluates the veteran's situation - abilities and capabilities and arrives at a reasoned conclusion including an assessment of vulnerability and prioritization for admission
• The incumbent develops psychosocial treatment plans - actively involving the veteran and their family or significant others - in coordination with interdisciplinary team members - based on the psychosocial assessments - including goals for clinical treatment
• The incumbent provides direct mental health and substance abuse services for veterans and family members or significant others in support of the veteran's treatment
• The incumbent establishes a continuing relationship with the veteran - evaluating progress towards goals and adjusting the treatment plan as appropriate
• The incumbent enters all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic record using appropriate formats and templates
• He/she is accurate - literate - and timely in charting - correspondence and reports
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized