Senior Social Work-HUD-VASH

The selected Social Worker will deliver a comprehensive range of social work services including detailed assessments discharge planning supportive counseling care coordination and other relevant services for Veterans and their families all while adhering to accepted standards of practice.

Additional duties include but are not limited to;

• Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse neglect or exploitation.
• Providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning.
• Providing social work case management.
• Acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver.
• Assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veterans strengths weaknesses coping skills and psychosocial acuity in collaboration with the Veteran family and interdisciplinary treatment teams
• Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals.
• Incumbents are assigned to all program areas including but not limited to the following: inpatient or outpatient medicine surgery mental health neurology specialty medicine rehabilitation medicine and geriatrics.
• Use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies handbooks or directives
• 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 Veterans 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.
• Completes psychosocial evaluations mental status examinations and functional ability assessments of newly admitted patients to determine clinical needs and social determinants of health that influences care access and quality of life.
• Patient education on internal and community resources Goals of Care conversations advance directives VA benefits that influence healthcare options and social determinants of health status.
• Treatment planning with multidisciplinary team members for disposition and discharge planning care coordination and other services as appropriate. The Social Worker provides discharge options based on available resources and each Veterans benefits.
• Patient education on internal and community resources Goals of Care conversations advance directives VA benefits that influence healthcare options and social determinants of health status.
• Provides treatment planning with multidisciplinary team members for disposition and discharge planning care coordination and other services as appropriate.
• Provides discharge options based on available resources and each Veterans benefits.
• Educates and consults multidisciplinary team members and medical resident on social work practice standards and VA policy and procedures.
• Engages in commonly accepted standards of social work practice of individual family and group counseling and other services as appropriate to help Veterans and families cope with grief and loss terminal illness and death.

Work Schedule: The primary tour of duty will be M-F 7:30am to 4:00pm. However the selectee may also be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on the needs of the service and patient care.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
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 $144000 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 #:70593F; Senior Social Worker-HUD-VASH
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Valid Florida Drivers License
• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 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.
  
  GS-12 Senior Social Workercandidates must have the following:
  • Experience/Education: The candidate must have at least two (2) years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which one (1) 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.
    • Applicants with Florida LCSW to qualify for APL Qualified Supervision Delegation QSCSW must be on licensure. For additional information please refer to Florida Board of Clinical Social Work Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling Qualified Supervisor- Licensing Renewals & Information.
    • Applicants with Puerto Rico LSW must be an active member of the College of Social Work Professionals of Puerto Rico (CPTSPR) and must provide CPTSPR active membership certification. For additional information please visit Membership - CPTSPR.
  While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledges Skills Abilities and Other Characteristics (KSAOs) you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSAs for this subject position:
  1. Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual group and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.
  2. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Senior HUD-VASH Social Workers are capable of meeting all KSAs for GS 11 social work qualification standards
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Experience: Experience working with the indigent population and 2 years of case management experience.
  
  The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
  
  Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the physical demands of this position include walking throughout the clinic and/or Medical Center standing for extended periods of time and involves sitting at a desk working on a computer engaging in light to moderate physical activity including sitting walking bending and carrying supplies. 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 car. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands exercise patients and control emotions with reasonable accommodation if necessary without endangering the health and safety of the Social Worker or others.
  
  
  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.
  
  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

  During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
  
  This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
  
  This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
  
  VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
  
  If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
  
  Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

  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.

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.