Social Worker PACT

The incumbent provides case-appropriate professional social work services for Veterans and families/significant others in compliance with VA VISN
station and Social Work policies and memorandums. Casework group work case management and/or community organization social work methods will be utilized in the delivery of the services. Incumbent provides highly developed professional social work services.

Duties of the Social Worker - PACT- program include but are not limited to the following:

• incumbent independently performs case finding functions and outreach identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs.
• possess the knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals families and groups in the outpatient mental health clinic. Social Workers must practice within the bounds of their license or certification.
• The incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of individuals and families from various socioeconomic cultural ethnic educational and other diversified backgrounds. and is able to formulate and implement a treatment plan.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients staff and representatives of community agencies.
• Coordinates community-based services including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs other government programs and community agency programs.
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families. The incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric medical and social problems utilizing individual group and family counseling and therapy skills.
• Independently identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services. The incumbent provides crisis intervention services seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members. Has working knowledge and experience in use of medical and mental health diagnoses disabilities and treatment procedures.
• Facilitates referrals based upon Veterans needs and eligibility.
• Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of Veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan.
• Provides training orientation consultation and guidance within clinical specialization of practice.
• Provides in-service training to Social Work Service staff to staff from other disciplines and to students and volunteers as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Education: Have a masters 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 masters degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to 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 masters degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to 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 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 masters level within three years of their appointment as 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 states such as California Washington and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years social workers must become licensed at the independent masters level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for 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:In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.Social Worker GS-9
  • Experience Education and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.
  Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients staff and representatives of community agencies.
  5. 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.
  Social Worker GS-11
  • Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one (1) 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 (1) year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.
  Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  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 educational and other 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.
  Reference. For more information on this qualification standard please visit 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-9 to GS-11
  
  Preferred Experience:
  • Working with a multidisciplinary team in a medical setting. Position is assigned to unassigned PACT Team and sees Veterans experiencing homelessness in the PACT setting
  • Selective Placement Factor:
  
  Physical Requirements. The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13 to 16 to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty. Ability to drive a government vehicle.
  
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Have a masters 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 masters degree in social work.
  
  Verification of the degree can be made by going to to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
  
  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: 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:

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.