Social Worker Associate

Veterans Health Administration • West Palm Beach, FL

6d • Onsite

About The Position

West Palm Beach is looking for a Social Work Associate. They accept and support the guiding principles of the Medical Center. Performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving veterans under the HUDVASH Section in the Social Work Service. Actively supports the team concept and functions as a team player.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.
• An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.
• If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
• Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in major fields of study such as: social welfare, sociology, psychology, public administration, philosophy, education, anthropology, history, economics and/or English.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression of the position. Specialized experience is experience in a program of direct social welfare services that required the application of program policy and operations knowledge in providing social welfare services and/or assisting social workers.
• Two years of experience as a social welfare worker or social work assistant in a voluntary, public, social, or health agency, which must have included 1 year in a medical setting.
• Valid Driver's License.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Homelessness.

Responsibilities

• Provide services in accordance with his/her limited scope of duties as outlined in the position description.
• Provide services to selected cases as referred by the appropriate team members with the HUDVASH Section under the Social Work Service and functions as a Community Resource Specialist (CRS).
• Expedite treatments and implement objectives for the Veteran providing total social services to selected cases in which goals can be achieved by use of the knowledge, skills, abilities, in which s/he has been trained.
• Help Veterans fill out applications/paperwork, forms (including but not limited to Advance Directives paperwork), gathering information, handling details around case management/care coordination including Veterans benefits, Medicaid applications, assisted living facilities and contract community nursing home placement.
• Initiate home health services, Community Adult Day Health Care services, etc. and collecting information including contact information about the Veteran's significant others are typical tasks.
• Conduct screenings as applicable.
• Complete necessary paperwork, providing support to the family and the Veteran as they struggle with the factors associated with a debilitating illness.
• Provide HUDVASH/specialty care social services, social work support, and case management/care coordination follow-up, usually done in the community at a Veteran's place of residence, within our catchment area.
• Acquire or follow up on the acquisition of documents, reports, or information needed for social work treatment.
• Make telephone calls or personal contacts on behalf of social workers to providers, nurses, families, community nursing home personnel, community agencies, significant others.
• Follow up with Business Office, veteran service organizations and community agencies regarding referrals to VA and community providers.
• Take full responsibility for execution of tasks in support of psychosocial needs in routine case management/care coordination cases.
• Interview the Veteran or the Veteran's caregiver either face to face, by telephone or in the Veteran residence within our catchment area to assess the need and develop a Veteran centered plan to meet the identified needs.
• Provide or obtain information (including interviewing Veterans and families), and arrange for services which support the care plan, working independently or in consultation with a social worker.
• Document all Social Work Associate activities in the Veteran's medical record in accordance with service and Medical Center policies.
• Investigate community resources and make information about them available to social work staff.
• Keep abreast of changes in the referral procedures for community services and make social work staff aware of the new procedures.
• Participate in program planning and in the development of sound working relationships with Medical Center personnel, community agencies, and other governmental and community agencies.
• Interview Veterans in the community within our catchment area to establish the nature and extent of their problems, assist in deciding the appropriate course of action, providing the services indicated in their scope, and providing follow-up to ensure continuity of care.
• Provide transportation to veterans/families.
• Retrieve and drop off documents to the HA and Community Partners as needed.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

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