Senior Social Worker HUD-VASH

Veterans Health Administration • Grand Junction, CO

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Social Worker provides specialized social work services to Veterans and their families through the HUD-VASH program. The role serves as a liaison between Veterans, families, VA services, and community resources; facilitates appropriate community placements; and provides consultation and education about community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs. The social worker assesses psychosocial needs, including during crises, and provides short- and long-term solution-focused counseling, specialized interventions, treatment modalities, educational classes, and supportive groups. The position involves case management with outpatient interdisciplinary teams and home- and community-based services, coordination with community professionals, and consultation to colleagues and students. The incumbent works in the community most of the time, often away from the main campus and without Social Work Supervision while traveling or working alone with a complex Veteran. The position also includes evaluating and improving services, developing models of assessment and intervention, mentoring and teaching staff and students, and participating in professional review and facility committees. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is unavailable and the position is not virtual. Local and significant community travel is required, using a government vehicle or other individual arrangements. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to program and applicant eligibility; awards may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• Master's degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); a doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master's degree.
• State license or certification to independently practice social work at the master's degree level for VHA GS-0185 social worker positions.
• For the Senior Social Worker GS-12 grade, at least two years of experience post-advanced-practice clinical licensure, including one year equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, in a specialized area of social work practice.
• Advanced-practice state licensure or certification, including an advanced generalist or clinical examination, subject to the stated grandfathering exception; ability to provide licensure supervision.
• Demonstrated skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced psychosocial services and/or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation into differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Knowledge of developing and implementing methods to measure social work practice and service effectiveness, use outcome evaluations, and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students and model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge and write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the service delivery area.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Valid unrestricted state-issued driver's license.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and background/security investigation; seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must complete the online onboarding process and all application requirements in the announcement.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Must be able to perform the position's physical and emotional demands, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the social worker or others.
• Must be able to travel locally and significantly in the community to provide care and meet with stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, or low income.
• Certification or post-master's training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university in a specialty area, including a defined curriculum or course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a liaison between Veterans and/or their families and VA and community resources to support delivery of services.
• Facilitate timely community placements in collaboration with Veterans, families, and interdisciplinary treatment team members.
• Provide consultation and education to Veterans and families about community resources, VA benefits, and specialty programs.
• Assess psychosocial problems and provide short- and long-term solution-focused counseling to Veterans and/or families.
• Complete assessments of presenting problems, contributing factors, and obstacles to treatment or follow-through.
• Independently implement treatment modalities, educational classes, and supportive groups for Veterans and families.
• Respond to referrals from interdisciplinary team members, Veterans and families, and community professionals.
• Advise treatment teams and staff about psychosocial needs and the effects of psychosocial problems on health care planning and treatment compliance.
• Conduct specialized interventions and treatment modalities for specialty programs or special patient populations.
• Monitor clinical program effectiveness and modify service patterns as caseloads evolve.
• Use appropriate theories and modalities in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness.
• Incorporate complex multiple causation into differential diagnosis and treatment, including psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Determine service priorities and provide specialized treatment services.
• Coordinate specialized psychosocial services and programs.
• Design system changes based on empirical findings and use outcome evaluations to improve treatment services.
• Provide case management with outpatient interdisciplinary teams and home- and community-based services to meet agreed treatment goals; liaise with community professionals about needed services.
• Provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students, offer professional opinions, and model effective social work practice.
• Develop new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs.
• Pursue continuing education relevant to the assigned area and further professional growth.
• Support the orientation and development of less experienced social workers, serve as a preceptor for social work students, teach and mentor staff and students, and provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications.
• Evaluate practice through professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means.
• Review agreements between Section 8, landlords, Public Housing Authorities, and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements.
• Support other programs through community outreach and home visits when appropriate for service delivery or safety concerns.
• Support VA, VHA, VISN, and facility missions, policies, and procedures.
• Serve on facility committees, work groups, and task forces as deemed appropriate by the supervisor and Chief of Social Work Services.
• Travel locally and in the community to provide community-based care and meet with representatives and stakeholders supporting Veterans.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval; award amounts may be up to $200,000 for an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefit eligibility depends on position type and applicable conditions.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal employment or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior