Senior Social Worker; HUD-VASH

Summary

Housing and Urban Development and VA Supporting Housing Program (HUD‑VASH) Social Worker is responsible for case management services to veterans. The HUD‑VASH Social Worker functions in a Senior Social Work position – with a dual role as a Senior Clinician and Housing Specialist. HUD‑VASH is an intensive case management program for chronically homeless veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services to veterans while residing in stable housing through HUD's Section 8 Voucher system.

• 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
  • 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. • Verification of the degree can be made by visiting CSWE Accreditation to confirm the program meets the standards for a master 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 visiting VHA OHRM. • Applicants may qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (applicable only to current VHA employees who meet the criteria).
• Experience
  • At least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure (one year at the GS‑11 grade level). • Senior social workers should have advanced practice skills and judgment, and may have certification or other post‑masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university.
• Licensure/Certification at Advanced Practice Level
  • Must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination (except California). • They must be able to provide supervision for licensure.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
  • Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations (individual, group, family counseling, psychotherapy, advanced 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 using outcome evaluations.
  
  • Ability to provide specialized consultation and to write policies, procedures, and practice guidelines.
• Preferred Experience
  • Assessments, treatment planning, care coordination, crisis intervention, and advocacy. • Experience working with client populations experiencing homelessness. • Ability to work independently with highly complex health, substance use, and/or mental health problems. • Experience locating community resources, building and maintaining working relationships with external partners, and assisting clients with linkage to appropriate referrals.
• Reference
  For more information on this qualification standard, please visit VA HR Qualification Standards.

• Typical for the occupation – see Duties section for essential job duties.
• Position requires walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center, standing for extended periods, sitting at a computer, and consulting with veterans and interdisciplinary teams.
• Work is performed in a wide range of settings (office/clinic) with minimal risks requiring normal safety precautions.
• Requires the ability to handle multiple tasks in sometimes stressful situations while engaging in counseling and consultation.

• Provide case management for a caseload of…