Senior Social Worker

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. This position is responsible for the monitoring of HUD-VASH contract providers for clinical and administrative compliance during their course of providing Veterans with direct services and/or connecting homeless Veterans to the services and resources that will enable them to secure safe - affordable - quality permanent housing.

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/
• (1) 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
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor - chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification - including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline
• Preferred Experience: Grade Determinations GS-12: 1) 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
• 2) 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
• 3) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) 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
• (e) 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
• Resume Must also reflect the following KSAs at the GS-12: Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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
• (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• (c) 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
• (d) 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
• (e) 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
• References: VA Handbook 5005 - PART II - APPENDIX G39
• SOCIAL WORKER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds)
• light carrying (under 15 pounds)
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• walking
• standing
• hearing (aid permitted)
• Frequent travel into the community is required for this position.
  
  

Duties

• The social worker monitors compliance with the standards outlined in the HUD-VASH Contract and is the primary point of contact for the HUD-VASH Contractors regarding any questions or issues related to the contract
• Duties include - but are not limited to - billing - monthly technical reports - and monitoring compliance with VAGLAHCS and HUD-VASH Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and policies
• Any policy changes or updates will be provided to the contractor by the CERS HUD-VASH CL within seventy-two hours (72) of the update/policy change
• The social worker will review contract agency quality assurance/quality management procedures
• To ensure quality of care - social worker will review 100% of veteran's charts via case conference or chart review monthly
• The social worker will obtain Contracting Officer Representative (COR) I and II certification and serve as the COR (government's technical expert) for a contract - functioning under a delegation from the contracting officer
• (Quick Reference Guide for CORs - AS1 Government 2011) Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Title/Functional Statement #:Senior Social Worker/00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required