Social Worker (HUD-VASH)

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. 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. 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. 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.] 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. 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 meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.GS-09 (Entry Level) Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-11 (Full-Performance Level) Experience and Licensure: Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one (1) 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 (1) year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: Experience in performing assessments, treatment planning, care coordination, crisis intervention, and advocacy. Experience working with client populations experiencing homelessness. Able to work independently providing psychosocial support to client populations with highly complex health and/or mental health problems and the provision of short-term, solution focused counseling with clients and/or their families. Experience in locating and obtaining community resources and assisting with linkage to appropriate referrals. Ability to work with people experiencing housing challenges and provide care coordination. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty, drive government vehicle.

The incumbent is responsible for providing case management for a caseload of Veterans in the HUD-VASH program. The incumbent is responsible for reviewing agreements between Section 8, landlords, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements. The incumbent performs home visits in the community to ensure that Veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes. The incumbent conducts community-based visits, made with safety in mind, and follows the Home Visit Safety policy. The incumbent verifies the Veteran's status, eligibility for VA medical care, and eligibility of program participation. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that homeless Veterans are considered as primary participants for program acceptance. The incumbent completes all required documents for the HUD-VASH Program including those which are included in the data collection for NEPEC and within HOMES. Participates in ongoing performance improvement for the HUD-VASH Program including activities related to program specific performance measures. The incumbent is primarily responsible for providing HUD-VASH case management to Veterans in case management stages of Maintenance and Preparation for Discharge. However, they could be assigned cases in the stage of Intensive or Stabilization acuity. Case management is defined as the provision of services by VA clinical staff to homeless Veterans and includes all activities to provide appropriate treatment and maintain Veterans in HUD approved stable housing. The incumbent will continuously assess Veterans' needs and review the case management phase with team and supervisor. The incumbent coordinates care including serving as an advocate on behalf of the Veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery, and linking and referring Veterans to VA providers, VA Regional Offices, and/or community agencies. The incumbent identifies housing options in the community while coordinating with landlords and property managers to negotiate the needs of the Veterans in the program. The incumbent works towards identifying resources for Veterans with special needs that make routine housing plans more difficult. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 07:30am - 04:00pm 08:00am - 04:30pm 08:30am - 05:00pm Telework: Ad-hoc/Situational-Occasional, Non-routine Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 82501F, 80397F EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN8CCOE@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU