The incumbent serves as Supervisory Social Worker (Vet Center Director) on the multidisciplinary team that is located in a community-based Vet Center that provides Veterans, service members, and their family members with community outreach, counseling, therapy, treatment, direct services, and referral to VA and community resources and community education in the effort to address problems, needs, and to make the transition from military to civilian life successful.

Duties

Major Duties Include (But are not limited to): Supervising a multidisciplinary staff composed of clinical and administrative team members, whose primary mission is to provide direct readjustment counseling to eligible individuals in the areas of suicide prevention, crisis intervention, short-term and long-term treatment for symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other related readjustment issues. Planning, developing, implementing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating professional services rendered by subordinates. Setting guidelines and establishing intervention strategies and / or treatment priorities for individual, group, conjoint, and families employing varying clinical and therapeutic modalities. Conducting Performance Based Interviews (PBI) and determining selection processes to ensure fair and equitable recruitment of qualified, high achieving, and well prepared applicants. Developing networks and working relationships external to Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) and the Department of Veteran Affairs, with Veteran service organizations, community based agencies, and mental health organizations to enhance service delivery and develop referrals of Veteran clients to appropriate care. Serving as a Consultant and Subject Matter Expert to programs and resources external to the Vet Center on matters of the readjustment needs of Veterans. Creating, implementing, and measuring market penetration of Vet Center services through a comprehensive outreach plan for the primary service area. Ensuring fiscal / budget management, in compliance with applicable RCS and VHA policies and procedures, as an approving official for Time & Attendance reports, leases / contracts management, local staff travel, Government Purchase Card (GPC) purchases, etc. Screening and assessing of Veteran clients, treatment planning and goal setting, referral to service providers, development of a resource file, Veteran advocacy, crisis intervention, education / health promotion, coordination of non-institutional and institutional services, and individual / group counseling. Work Schedule: Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, TBD by Supervisor; candidate may be subject to working evenings, weekends, and holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Title / Functional Statement #: Supervisory Social Worker (Vet Center Director) / 64523-A Relocation / Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade) 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); Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience 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) Total Rewards: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

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/03/2025. Basic Requirements Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States Note: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f) Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) Degree: Applicants must have fulfilled all of the requirements for the Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (www.cswe.org/) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). Master's Degree with Practicum: Applicants who complete all of the requirements for a Master's Degree in Social Work that included a Practicum are eligible for GS-9 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). NOTE: Educational training programs, such as an internship, practicum, etc., that are included in, or supplemental to, an academic degree are not creditable for professional experience. Such programs are considered part of the basic requirements for professional practice in the field. Licensure: Applicants must be licensed or certified at the Advanced Practice level in their state of practice, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Specialized ExperienceGS-13 Specialized Experience: For this position, you must have one year of post-Master's of Social Work (MSW) degree experience (VA or Non-VA) equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-12, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. Note: Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum / course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Specialized experience is: Knowledge and understanding of the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Knowledge of methods, principles and theories sufficient to intervene and stabilize combat Veterans suffering from multiple diagnoses Ability to conduct psycho-social assessments and implement treatment plans for combat Veterans and their families Ability to establish and maintain referral networks through community outreach to provide services to Veterans Experience in working with Veterans, especially combat Veterans Experience in working with Veterans who were sexually traumatized / harassed while in the military Experience in providing family counseling services to Veterans and their family Experience working with combat Veterans and their families who have PTSD or readjustment issues and the ability to make independent judgments and recommendations about a number of serious and complex cases Special knowledge and skill in the field of Veterans in community resource identification and development, in public speaking and basic principles of education, in staff recruitment and development, and in program design and management Knowledge of VA and community resources available to Veterans and their family Develops and manages a clinic's budget and program funds Working knowledge of electronic records Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates and sets guidelines for clinical, therapeutic and treatment priorities Incumbent must have possession of supervisory and management skills Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Social Worker Qualification Standard Appendix G39, dated September 10, 2019 Physical Requirement: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Education

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

GS-13 Education Requirement: applicants must possess a Master's Degree in the field of Social Work (MSW) from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (www.cswe.org/). 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. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Contacts

• Address Readjustment Counseling Service 120 SE 6th Avenue, Ste. 102 Topeka, KS 66603 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]