Summary

The incumbent in this position functions as a Case Manager for VA Western Colorado Health Care System (VAWCHCS) HUD-VASH Program. The HUD-VASH program falls within the Care Management and Social Work Service Line. HUD-VASH is an intensive case management program for Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This program is aimed at providing psychosocial services to Veterans while preparing for and residing in stable housing through HUD's Section 8 voucher system.

Qualifications

***This is an open continuous announcement until December 31 - 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** 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:

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) Education and/or Experience Combination - You must possess 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
• License or Certification* - You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• *Exception - For assignments at the GS-9 level - VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• 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
• Grade Determinations: Social Worker Quals GS-0185-9 GS-09 Social Worker -Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: · Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
• · 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
• Social Worker Quals GS-0185-11 GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 - you must possess a minimum of 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) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level
• 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 a patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies
• assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members
• In collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams - identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity
• Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals.-OR-a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate 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 - educational - and other 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
• Driver's License: A current - valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position
• NOTE: We cannot accept photographs - therefore
• please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package
• If an interview is requested - you will be required to provide a copy of your current - valid state-issued Driver's License
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: Must be in overall good health - able to sit at a desk working at a computer - engage in light to moderate physical activity including sitting - walking - bending - and carrying supplies
• Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands - exercise patience - and control emotions - with reasonable accommodation - if necessary - without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others
• The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the patient population and their families
• A level of self-awareness is essential
• This position requires a valid - unrestricted state driver's license and local travel to provide community-based care to Veterans
• The position requires significant travel in the community - through use of a government vehicle or other individual arrangements - to meet with representatives/stakeholders who aid and support Veterans in clinics - medical centers - Community Clinics - etc
• This position also requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures
• transcribing
• viewing a computer terminal
• extensive reading
• and repetitive motions of the wrists - hands - and/or fingers.

Duties

• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and family members to formulate and implement a treatment plan
• Completes thorough assessments to determine the presenting problem - to determine in-home factors impacting the problem - and to determine obstacles to treatment and/or follow through with recommended treatments
• Makes psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Uses Housing First and other evidence-based practice models to promote Veteran engagement and self-efficacy
• Develops and implement methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing clinical feedback and outcome evaluations to improve treatment services
• Coordinates the delivery of specialized and complex psychosocial - physical - and mental illness services and programs
• Serves as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources to ensure thorough delivery of services
• Facilitates action for community placements through collaboration with Veterans and their families as well as interdisciplinary treatment team members to ensure that appropriate community placements are completed in a timely manner - beginning with the process of obtaining a HUD-VASH voucher from the Public Housing Authority (PHA) through the lease up process
• Provides consultation and education to Veterans and their families regarding community resources - VA benefits - and specialty programs - including the process for accessing and/or coordinating community-based services - information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs - and community programs
• Makes appropriate referrals to community and other governmental programs or agencies based on the benefits and services
• Assess psychosocial problems - often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis and include the provision of short-term and long-term solution-focused counseling with Veterans and/or their families
• Provides case management services to Veterans and their families throughout the continuum of care
• Conducts home visits with the intent of removing barriers for access to care - supporting housing stability - and assessing social and community integration
• Implements treatment modalities - provide educational classes - and/or supportive groups for Veterans and families with clinical supervisory support
• Provides case management with members of the outpatient interdisciplinary team and home and community-based services
• This includes liaising with community professionals regarding needed services for Veterans and/or their families
• Provides subject matter consultation to colleagues on the psychosocial treatment of patients with housing-related issues
• Provides consultation to other treatment team and staff members regarding psychosocial needs of Veterans and/or their compliance with treatment
• Advocates on behalf of Veterans and their families with landlords - Public Housing Authorities - community providers - and internal VA stakeholders
• Reviews agreements between Section 8 - landlords - Public Housing Authorities - and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements
• Supporting other programs in community outreach and home visits when deemed appropriate for service delivery or safety concerns
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 51054-A
• 51055-A