The incumbent is responsible for program oversight, monitoring and administration, serving as the primary contact with local Public Housing Agencies (PHA) and providing case management based services (directly or through referral) necessary to ensure that veteran care is coordinated with the VA medical center, community health or mental health providers, and agencies that serve homeless populations.

Duties

The Senior Social Worker in this position functions as the Medical Center's Case Manager for Alexandria VA's Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program (HCHV) HUD-VASH (Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Veterans Affairs Supported Housing) Program. Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties include but are not limited to: Ensures that coordination of services is facilitated and veterans direct care, referral, and follow up is contiguous and based on a continuum of services. The incumbent independently provides clinical psychosocial and case management services at an advanced practice level for eligible Veterans and their family members in the Program. Reviews agreements between Section 8 landlords, PHAs and the VA in establishing appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements. Perform site visits of HUD VASH apartments to ensure that veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes. Verifies the Veteran's status, eligibility for VA medical care, and eligibility of program participation. Establishes a process for referrals and admission to the HUD-VASH Program, ensuring that homeless Veterans are considered as primary participants for program acceptance. Responsible for collecting and submitting HUD-VASH Program participant data as outlined by Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC) evaluation procedures. The incumbent meets regularly with landlords and PHA official to ensure the availability of Section 8 Housing Choice eligible housing. Arranges and coordinates care and provide direct clinical services (assessment, treatment plan lead, etc.) and support. Actively involve the Veteran in the development of an integrated interdisciplinary treatment plan with explicit goals and objectives, including long range discharge plan goals. Provides education and assistance with locating and obtaining suitable and HUD acceptable housing. The incumbent refers and provides linkage to VA medical facilities, VA Regional Offices, and/or community-based agencies for a variety of services that may include health care, entitlements, vocational assistance, education, recreation and any other needed assistance. Provides direct mental health and substance abuse counseling, crisis management services needed to maintain the veteran safely in the Section 8 apartment; monitor psychiatric status and stability; assertively pursue re-entry into treatment in the event of a relapse or treatment disruption; provide education on basic life skills, such as budgeting, shopping, basic cleanliness and meal preparation; provide education and assistance with community living skills; advocate on behalf of the veteran to fill gaps in the delivery of services; regularly review the current treatment plan and goals. And work toward long range discharge goals. Knowledge of end of life issues including advance directives, palliative care, and grief. Incumbent offers consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients treated in specialty areas, rendering professional opinions based on experience and expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. Demonstrates the ability to teach and mentor staff and students in the special area of practice and to provide supervision for licensure or specialty certifications. Serves on hospital committees/task forces as assigned. Performs other related duties as assigned. May be required to work irregular tour of duty. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm; subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 502-00039-F 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 chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). 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/. 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: G12: Experience/Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Licensure/Certification: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Experience working with a interdisciplinary team Experience with crisis intervention Experience with VA and community resources Experience working with person living with or at risk for homelessness, to include those with mental health and/or substance use disorders References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12. Physical Requirements: May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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/.

Contacts

• Address Alexandria VA Medical Center 2495 Shreveport Highway Pineville, LA 71360 US
• Name: Teri Bankhead
• Phone: 2057719942
• Email: [email protected]