Job Description

Summary

The social worker in this position functions as the Case Manager for Veterans under Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System's Housing and Urban Development & VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program. The social worker is responsible for coordination of case management services for Veterans receiving housing provided through HUD's Section 8 housing vouchers.

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
• Proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Hold 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
• Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work
• Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• 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
• 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: GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above
• Candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members - and to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the Veterans problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals
• This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive - problem solving - or crisis intervention techniques
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries
• common medications and their effects/side effects
• and medical terminology
• GS-11 Experience or Education: Must possess one 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)
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
• Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse - neglect or exploitation
• providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning
• providing social work case management
• acting as an advocate with community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity - in collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams
• maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals
• - OR - Possess a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work
• GS-11 Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience or education for the GS-11 level - must possess the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience working with individuals and/or Veterans experiencing homelessness - familiarity with resources available to Veterans experiencing homelessness and knowledge of HUD and housing rules and regulations is preferred
• Case Management experience is also preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: The incumbent will be required to drive and operate a government vehicle to perform certain required job duties
• Thus - the incumbent must possess a current and valid Driver's License.

Duties

• Major duties include: Provides case management services for a caseload of Veterans in the HUD-VASH Program with frequency congruent to their need and acuity scale determination
• Reviews agreements between Section 8 - landlords - Public Housing Authorities - contracted agencies and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements
• Performs residential site visits of HUD-VASH housing to ensure that Veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes
• Coordinates care including serving as an advocate on behalf of the Veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery and linking and referring Veterans to the VA Medical Center - VA Regional Offices and community agencies
• Conducts biopsychosocial assessments to determine needs of Veterans and family members
• Participates in discharge planning with other disciplines and is responsible for ensuring that discharge plans are executed in a manner that is timely and appropriate
• Conducts comprehensive risk assessments - assess Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) - and ensure warm handoffs
• Provides individual - family and group counseling as appropriate
• Provides consultation/education to Veterans and families on community resources - Advance Directives and VA benefits
• Acts as liaison between VA and community resources - to include marketing and public relation duties as needed
• Maintains data and statistical compilations to comply with Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) - The Joint Commission - VA and medical center policy and procedures
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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Job Tags

Temporary work, Local area, Remote job, Relocation, Monday to Friday,

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