Social Worker-Substance Use Disorder

Major duties include but are not limited to:

The SUD Social Worker interviews Veterans and their family members/significant others to establish facts about the Veterans situation presenting problems and their causes and the impact of such problems on the Veterans functioning and health as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Interprets and explains V As treatment and benefit programs.

The incumbent reviews all data subjective and objective and makes a clinical assessment identifying needs and strengths. Effectively uses professional skill objectivity and insight. Uses clinical training insight and experience to interpret data and to identify viable treatment options. Assesses high risk factors acuity and need for services.

The incumbent has the ability to serve Veterans who tend to have frequent and severe crises lack family or an adequate community support network be poor at self-monitoring and frequently fail to comply with instructions and treatment or have significant deficits in coping skills and require continuing professional psychosocial support.

The incumbent provides referral to VA medical mental health or substance abuse treatment and to other VA services including VA benefits as well as community based social services and other non-VA entitlement programs.

The SUD Social Worker independently evaluates the clients situation including the Veterans reaction and ability to deal with it and arrives at a reasonable conclusion. Based on psychosocial assessment uses professional judgment and advanced practice skills to make a psychosocial diagnosis. Assesses at-risk factors and develops a preliminary disposition plan involving the Veteran and family or significant others.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM
Telework: May be available as determined by the agency/facility.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 80064F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

VA Careers - Social Work: 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.

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 deadline.
• 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.

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).

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-11 Social Worker candidates must have the following:

• 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.

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.

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information refer to Required Documents below.

These are the KSAs for this subject position:

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 Regulations specifically VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard.

Preferred Experience: Preferred candidates will have experience conducting comprehensive clinical assessments for individuals with substance use disorders including diagnostic evaluation and risk assessment. Demonstrated ability to develop individualized psychosocial treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of clients with SUD is highly desirable. Experience providing referrals and coordinating care with interdisciplinary teams and community resources to support ongoing recovery is strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required for this assignment are typical for the occupation see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing lifting carrying sitting stooping bending pulling and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.