Senior Social Worker

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval – award amount (up to $200 000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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.

• United States Citizenship:
  Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy
• Education:
  
  Must 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
• 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
• Grandfathering Provision:
  May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Handbook 5005/120 – Part II Appendix G39 for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• 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
• English Language Proficiency:
  Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations:
  In addition to the basic requirements for employment – the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• 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
• Examples of specialized experience include – but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence
• Use of clinical social work skills
• Maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies – handbooks or directives
• Acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• Independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members – identifying the patient’s strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity
• Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice
• Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice
• 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…