Career Center

The Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Senior Social Worker falls under the Social Work Service care line and provides direct services to Veterans referred to or presenting for resources and/or referrals to homeless programs. The HCHV Social Worker provides a variety of services to Veterans experiencing homelessness, who are unstably housed and/or at imminent risk of homelessness, and acts as a liaison between VA and community providers. 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/. 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). Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 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: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, sitting, talking, use of fingers, both hands required, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Hearing (aid permitted). ["This is an Open Continuous Announcement - applicants will be referred at least every 2 weeks. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 08020A\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required The Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV), Senior Social Worker works independently using their educational training, clinical experience, VA policies, and Joint Commission standards to administer direct services to Veterans referred to or presenting for resources and/or referrals to homeless programs. The HCHV Senior Social Worker is responsible to provide a variety of services to Veterans experiencing homelessness, who are unstably housed and/or at imminent risk of homelessness. The HCHV Senior Social Worker completes psychosocial assessments, treatment planning, short-term solution focused counseling with individuals and families who may be in crisis, education and referral for resources and benefits, case management and may provide post-intervention follow-up. The HCHV Senior Social Worker collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in the provision of comprehensive health care services (physical and/or mental health) to Veterans and ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population. The HCHV Senior Social Worker collects, develops, and analyzes data using appropriate clinical indicators and monitoring activities to assure that the care provided is of the highest quality. The HCHV Senior Social Worker provides consultation and education to VA staff and community-based service providers including medical residents and Social Work students. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to: Use a high level of skill in assessing and intervening with complicated psychosocial problems of Veterans in HCHV Programs. Responsibilities include program oversight, coordination and provision of Social Work services to Veterans. Participates in regular multidisciplinary inspections of HCHV programs to ensure both programmatic standards are being met and that Veterans are receiving appropriate services. Addresses and resolves, where possible, Veteran specific issues and program concerns. Responsible for conducting psychosocial assessments, making psychosocial diagnoses, conducting mental health assessments and making DSM-V diagnoses as appropriate. Ensures service plans are completed, updated and address Veteran needs and goals, develop comprehensive plans of care with Veterans and HCHV Providers that address the factors that contributed to homelessness, including substance abuse disorders and other co-occurring factors within a recovery and housing first models. Provides a full range of Social Work services within commonly accepted standards of Social Work practice which includes case management, discharge/aftercare planning, psychosocial interventions/counseling for individuals, groups and families, and crisis intervention as needed. Acts as a liaison between VA and community providers. Conducts admission screening, consults with program staff regarding the care and services provided to Veterans, provides services at program sites and may transport Veterans, provides consultation/education and referral to Veterans regarding community resources, and provides information and referral for VA services and benefits. Provides clinical oversight to HCHV Programs, conducts and coordinates HCHV Program inspections, maintains administrative files and conducts quarterly administrative meetings with HCHV Programs, and reconciles and prepares monthly per diem billing and maintains billing records. Required to obtain and maintain a FAC-COR Level I certification to ensure compliance to contracts and funded services are provided to Veterans. Maintains data, completes HOMES documentation, reviews NEPEC reports, local scorecard data reflecting performance standards, and documents all Social Work interventions and activities in Veteran's clinical record utilizing CPRS and ensures appropriate hand off when transferring Veteran care. Required to complete Quarterly Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to further ensure compliance by the community provider contract. Copies of the QASP will be provided to the Social Work Service COR for filing. Current and unrestricted Nevada driver's license is required. Drive in the community on freeways, highways, and surface streets in moderate to heavy traffic for several hours a day from moderate to high distances to conduct face-to-face visits with Veterans. May transport Veterans in government vehicles in support of meeting the goals identified in the Veteran's Housing Stability Plan. Other duties as assigned by management."]