Social Worker

The Social Worker functions as the HUD-VASH SW for the Homeless Service Program at New Jersey VA, Lyons campus, under Social Work Service, providing a full range of services to patients and their families to address psychosocial diagnosis and needs. This is an Open and Continuous Announcement for US Citizens to apply for a Social Worker (HUD-VASH) position within the NJ VA HCS. Eligible and qualified applicants will be referred every 15 days to fill current and future vacancies that arise. 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 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 Exception. 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. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. 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). Creditable Experience. The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of part-time work. Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training. Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum in a VA Setting. A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) 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, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of 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. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, 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, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 September 10, 2019 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 a GS-9 to a GS-11 ["The HUD/VASH Program is within Homeless Services located in the Mental Health & Behavioral Science (MH&BS) service line. The Homeless Veterans Program consists of the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV), Compensated Work Therapy (CWT), Incentive Therapy Program (ITP), Supported Housing (SH), Transitional Residence (TR), Homeless Chronically Mentally Ill (HCMI), Education Therapy, Manual Arts therapy and Vocational Counseling. The primary function of the HUD-VASH Social Worker is to assess, treat and provide on-going case management services to Veterans, the veteran's family members/significant others while collaborating with the interdisciplinary treatment team to ensure the veteran is ready for discharge and re-integration into the community and prevent future homelessness. They provide case management, clinical treatment, advocacy, and coordination of linkage with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies as needed by the veteran, on an independent practice level. Assessment- As part of the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Social Worker possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to independently complete a psychosocial assessment as required in the MH&BS documentation policy. The psychosocial assessment occurs through interviews with the veteran, family members/significant others and/or other service providers whenever possible and with the veteran's permission. The incumbent takes into consideration the various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and educational background of the veteran in order to make appropriate assessments. Treatment Planning/Goal Setting - In collaboration with the veteran, veteran 's family members/significant others, and other treatment team members, participates in developing an interdisciplinary treatment plan for veterans who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems. The incumbent possesses 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. The resulting treatment plan is developed within the time frames designated by the program. Ongoing re-assessments and updates of the treatment plans are completed as necessary due to the changing needs of the veteran, accomplishments of preliminary goals and/or development of new goals, and improvement of mental health status. Provision of Clinical Services - Provides case management services to veterans utilizing HUD/VASH vouchers. Individual, group, family supportive counseling and psychosocial education may be provided as required and appropriate. The Social Worker engages veterans via discussions around their reaction to their current mental health condition and environmental issues relevant to the veteran's treatment, in order to decrease obstacles, improve optimal adjustment and ability to maintain self-care for successful community integration. Veterans and their family members/significant others are educated as to treatment options available to them at VA and community. The Social Worker works to assist veterans in accomplishing their treatment goals and/or assist with any psychosocial crises that may arise. The Social Worker provides veterans with ongoing counseling and/or case management, as needed during the course of treatment, to addresses their needs. The Social Worker provides these clinical services on-site or at the veteran's home in the community or at their job site (with the veteran's permission). The Social Worker also transports veterans to interviews at various sites in the community to seek housing and other community-based services. Other Duties as assigned Preferred Experience - Homeless/HUD-VASH experience preferred Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 23741-A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"] Create a Job Alert for Similar Jobs

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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. VA health care teams are deeply experienced and guided by the needs of Veterans, their families, and caregivers. Our medical center provides primary care and specialty health services, including cardiology, mental health care, treatment for spinal cord injuries and disorders, suicide prevention, women’s health services, and more.

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