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Social Worker( Outpatient Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program & Transitional Residence Program)

Veterans Health Administration

Job Location:

Jamaica Plain, MA - USA

Yearly Salary: USD 74625 - 74625

Posted: 6 October 2026 (4 days ago)

Application Deadline: 3 January 2027

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval award amount (up to $200000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

This position is located at the Boston VA Healthcare system Jamacia Plain campus. The GS-11 social worker will serve as a direct care clinician for Veterans admitted to the mens Transitional Residence (TR) Program in Boston and enrolled in outpatient services in the Outpatient Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program (ADTP). Job duties include but are not limited to providing clinical case management services observing patient behavior providing consultation conducting initial and ongoing assessments developing and monitoring treatment and discharge plans and individual and/or group treatment as needed.

SCREENING/ASSESSMENT

In the TR Program and ADTP the social worker will complete comprehensive psychosocial and risk assessments in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team the Veteran family members and significant others as appropriate. The assessment will include a review of substance use and psychiatric symptoms as well as social needs (e.g. related to employment and housing) and lead to the formulation of a comprehensive treatment plan.

TREATMENT PLANNING/GOAL SETTING

The Social Worker is responsible for developing comprehensive treatment plans and setting measurable achievable goals with Veterans in the TR and ADTP. The incumbent will incorporate substance use recovery emotional stability relationship and social goals (e.g. employment and housing) and other important areas of concern for the Veteran in the interdisciplinary treatment plan. Ongoing assessment and treatment plan updates are done according to program policy.

TREATMENT

The incumbent will provide Veterans in TR and ADTP with evidence-based treatments for substance use and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. The incumbent will be able to provide group and/or individual treatment appropriate to the Veterans needs and adapt to the veterans changing level of needs.

CASE MANAGEMENT AND REFERRALS

The incumbent will help the Veteran access services pertinent to their individualized treatment goals. The social worker will refer to other providers or programs if requested by the Veteran at any time in the treatment process. This may include assessing the Veterans needs for inpatient outpatient residential or community-based programs.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Compressed: May be Available
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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 $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)
Ad-Hoc Telework: Authorized telework that occurs on an occasional non-routine basis. Telework that occurs to complete short-term special assignments or to accommodate special circumstances even though the telework arrangement may occur continuously for a limited and specific period of time.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F08312 F08313
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Notifications:

This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
This position is covered by a special rate.
The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOCs.
Narrative responses to the knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
This position is in the Excepted Service.
Veterans preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
Due to a critical staffing shortage 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference for this job announcement.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

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.
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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
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.

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. The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(9) as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 enacted November 1 2000. To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA all applicants must meet the following:

a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.

b. 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.

c. 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 deadline.

(a) For 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 licensure.
(b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.
(c) Different states have different levels of licensure or certification making it difficult for VHA staff to determine the independent practice level. Each state Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia completed surveys identifying the level of licensure or certification allowing independent practice. Copies of the surveys are on file in the VHA Office of Care Management and Social Work Services and a summary spreadsheet of the levels of licensure or certification is available to social work professional standards board members for purposes of determining whether the social workers level of licensure or certification meets the VHA qualification standards. All states except California use a series of licensure exams administered by the ASWB. Information can be found at The ASWB is the association of boards that regulates social work. ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work. The ASWB offers three examinations. The masters examination is generally used by states for the independent practice level of licensure or certification while the advanced generalist and the clinical examinations are used for the advanced practice level of licensure or certification. Differences between the masters and the advanced exams demonstrate the expectation that advanced practice social workers will have a more sophisticated knowledge of practice theory and its application.

(2) Failure to Obtain License or all cases social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.
(3) Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified social workers must maintain a full valid and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment.

d. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Accreditation

Social Worker GS-9:
Experience Education and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the basic requirements to qualify for the GS-09 you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans their family members caregivers and survivors.
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.
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.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients staff and representatives of community agencies.
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 Full Performance level

Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one 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
addition to meeting basic requirements a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.
Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and addition to the experience above candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of community resources how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services and ability to coordinate services.

Education

(b) 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.
(c) 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.
(d) 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.
(e) 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.

Assignments Full Performance Level. 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. 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.

DEVIATIONS.

An approving official may under unusual circumstances approve reasonable deviations to the grade determination requirements for an employee whose composite record of accomplishments performance and qualifications as well as current assignment warrants such action based on demonstrated competence to meet the requirements of the proposed grade.
Under no circumstances will the educational requirements be waived. Under no circumstances will licensure requirements be waived for positions at the GS-11 grade level or above.
The placement of individuals in grade levels or assignments not described in this standard must be approved by the Under Secretary for Health or designee in VHA Central Office prior to placement in the position.

Preferred Experience: Compensation Work Therapy Program (CWT) experience preferred.

References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-185 Veterans Health Administration. 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-09 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: No special physical qualifications are required to perform the work. The work requires the ability to move around the office and facility. The work is performed in offices and meeting rooms and is largely sedentary. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019) The work can be mentally and psychologically demanding and stressful and the ability to utilize effective coping and self-care strategies is essential.

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

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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.

Review our benefits

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.

Required Experience:

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