The Housing Specialist position is located within the Housing Urban Development/ VA Supportive Housing (HUD/VASH) Program. The Housing Specialist is an active member of the HUD-VASH Program aiding with the VA homeless programs acting as a liaison between the public housing authorities (PHA) and the local HUD-VASH Program and in identifying appropriate permanent housing and landlords willing to work with homeless Veterans.

Duties

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (1) Acting as a liaison between all parties, including but not limited to the VA, PHA, landlord, and Veteran, to address housing needs. (2) Educating the community on HUD-VASH. (3) Identifying and contacting local landlords and realtors to find potential housing units for Veterans to lease. (4) Maintaining a database of landlords and property management companies that accept HCV subsidies. This should be reviewed and updated at least monthly. (5) Organizing and conducting housing fairs in collaboration with local PHA to increase landlords' awareness and interest in HUD-VASH. HUD-VASH staff may also wish to include SSVF grantees in the development of housing fairs, as appropriate. 26 June 29, 2017, VHA DIRECTIVE 1162.05(2) (6) Conducting a walk-through of apartments, using the HQS form and any local PHA requirements, to help ensure all units meet requirements for lease up. (7) Obtaining releases of information and working with the PHA to create processes to expedite inspections, such as pre-inspection of units and rapid re-inspections. (8) Serving as the point of contact and liaison for the PHA to ensure that housing packets are complete, processed, and vouchers are processed and issued in a timely manner. (9) Developing and/or utilizing tools to track voucher utilization within the HUD-VASH catchment area. (10) Assisting Veterans with the housing search process, including helping Veterans fill out housing applications and assisting with transportation to units for lease signing. (11) Conducting groups on tenancy rights and responsibilities. (12) Working with team members to obtain needed funds for security and utility deposits and furnishings needed for the unit. This may include working closely with SSVF grantees, Veteran Service Organizations, and other community partners. (13) Assisting a Veteran with their move into housing. This includes, but is not limited to, obtaining necessities and furniture, scheduling furniture move in, and turning on utilities. This may be done through collaboration with Voluntary Services and community providers. (14) Identifying potential or existing problems in apartments and assisting Veterans in requesting repairs. (15) Maintaining regular contact with landlords to ensure that concerns are addressed immediately with case management including any potential or actual lease requirements. (16) Contacting Veterans with upcoming PHA recertification for their unit, educating them on this PHA requirement and assisting them with the process. (17) Accurate and timely recording of workload for Veteran contacts in accordance with local policy and procedure. (18) Other appropriate duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 58380F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. 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 (MSW) 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. Please note: A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Licensure. Licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Regulations. 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). Must pass a background check. Grade Requirements: GS-11 Social Worker Assignments. 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. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. The incumbent provides case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate delivery of health care services, incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. The social worker links the Veteran with services, resources, and opportunities, in order to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being. The social worker conducts timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plan as appropriate. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. They independently formulate and implement a treatment plan including measurable, achievable goals identifying the Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. Social workers serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility and VISN level or in the community. They provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population. Experience, Education and Licensure. Promotion to the GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of 1 year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR, In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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, Social Worker Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-11. Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary. There is some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as papers, files, manuals and records. For additional information on Physical Standards please see VA Directive and Handbook 5019. http://www.va.gov/vapubs/

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 Carl Vinson VA Medical Center 1826 Veterans Boulevard Dublin, GA 31021 US
• Name: Jenna McCarthy
• Email: [email protected]