This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) provides case management, supportive services, and subsidized housing vouchers for eligible homeless Veterans. The HUD/VASH program allows eligible Veterans to obtain safe, affordable, accessible, permanent housing in a location of the Veteran's choice. The primary goal of the program is to house Veterans, while working on secondary issues the Veteran have be experiencing. Duties included but are not limited to: Screening/Assessment Completes psychosocial assessments of the Veteran and when possible, obtains input from the interdisciplinary team, the Veteran and as available the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other for collaboration of a service plan. The incumbent completes the intake/brief psychosocial assessments to assess the needs of the Veteran, the willingness of the Veteran to participate in various services, and options for care coordination. The incumbent works in the community, in encampments, under bridges, at shelters and other community settings where homeless or about to become homeless Veterans gather. Treatment/Care Planning Develops individualized service plans and sets achievable treatment/care goals with the Veteran. The incumbent includes psychosocial problems in the service plan. The HUD/VASH Social Worker attends interdisciplinary team meetings to discuss the Veteran's care as needed. The incumbent provides ongoing assessments and updating the Veteran's individualized service plan. The incumbent addresses the unique needs of the Veteran, who is chronically homeless, homebound, frail, disabling/chronic, and/or living with a terminal illness. Referral to Service Providers Uses VA and community-based resources to provide for the Veteran's needs. The incumbent collaborates with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's need for institutional and community-based benefits, services and programs. The incumbent educates the Veteran, and as appropriate the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other about available services. Resource Development Develops a resource file of VA and community-based social service programs. The HUD/VASH Social Worker provides to the Veteran general information about Veteran VA entitlements, benefits, and services, especially those relating to special programs, service-connected compensation and non-service-connected pension. The incumbent facilitates referrals based upon the Veterans needs and eligibility. Advocacy Advocates for the Veteran and as appropriate the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other. The incumbent educates the Veteran, the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other about methods of self-advocacy and encourage the Veteran, the Veteran's family, caregiver and/or significant other to advocate on their own behalf to foster a sense of independence and empowerment. Crisis Intervention The HUD/VASH Social Worker provides crisis intervention or Outreach to assist the Veteran with information, intervention, and access to care, which may include providing services at the Dallas VA Medical Center, in local homeless shelters, community agency locations, or other locations as indicated by the need of the Veteran and other responsibilities assigned to this incumbent for care of the Veteran. Patient Education/Health Promotion and Prevention Provides education related to the Veteran's VA entitlements, eligibility, services, and programs, as well as community resources for medical and mental health needs. The incumbent will refer the Veteran and as appropriate Veteran's family, caregiver and significant other to the appropriate program interdisciplinary team members, VA services or programs, or external programs for identified education needs. Coordination of Non-Institutional and Institutional Services Responsible for the coordination of referrals and consults for VA services and community-based services in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team members. The incumbent is responsible for the coordination of referrals for VA placements in Inpatient Behavioral Health Programs, Homeless Domiciliary, Adult Homes, Assisted Living Programs, Substance Abuse Programs, CNH, NHCU etc. Supportive Counseling/Education Provide the Veteran and as appropriate the Veteran's family, caregiver and /or significant other with ongoing supportive counseling. Examples of supportive counseling may include conflict resolution, anger management and work ethics. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Adhoc, per agency guidelines Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United states. (Non-citizens may 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation 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 http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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. (a) For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, 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 appointmentas a social worker. Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam, and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam. In states such as California, Washington, and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years, social workers must become licensed at the independent, master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure. 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-9 Social Worker: Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. GS-11 Social Worker: 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. 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. This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas, including but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. 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. Preferred Experience: Case Management Assessment with Intervention Working with clients living with homelessness Supportive and Psychotherapy Working with clients living with Mental Health illness References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Appendix G39 dated 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 GS-09 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying, under 15 pounds; Straight pulling (1 hour); Pushing (2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking (3 hours); Standing (3 hours); Repeated bending (1 hour); Climbing, use of legs and arms; Both legs required; Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Both eyes required; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Frequent computer keyboarding to operate computer.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Must 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: If your school was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the CWSE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Contacts

• Address Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]