Job Description
Summary
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications is Friday - May 29 - 2026 and applicants will be referred on an 'as needed' basis thereafter. Announcement will remain open through 08/24/2026 but may be extended or closed after the initial cut-off date if needed prior to the initial closing date. Note: Vacancies may not currently exist at all locations - but may later prior to the closing date. Applicants will be notified at time of referral.
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- You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) Education: You must possess a master's 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 master's degree in social work
- Verification of the degree can be made by going to the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of Social Work
- Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
- Exception: 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
- Grandfather Provision
- A Social Worker employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (9/10/2019) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
- Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
- Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
- Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
- Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
- Social Worker Qualifications - GS-0185-09 GS-09 Social Worker - Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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 Qualifications - GS-0185-11 GS-11 Licensure Requirement: You must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
- GS-11 Experience or Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-11 - you must possess 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
- Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience
- 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 patient/family member/caregiver advocate with community service providers/agencies
- assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members
- In collaboration with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary treatment teams - identifying strengths - weaknesses - coping skills and psychosocial acuity
- Maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with appropriate referrals
- -OR- 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
- In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
- Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
- 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
- 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
- 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
- The 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: Day-to-day work involves sitting - walking - standing and carrying light objects - such as medical records
- Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable disease common of the homeless population.
Duties
- VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Social Workers will be assigned to interested facilities throughout VHA and may be permanently or temporarily (not to exceed 1-year) appointed on intermittent - part-time - or full-time schedule in support of the VA facilities across the Nation
- Duties include but may not be limited to: Performs case finding functions and outreach - identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs
- Implements treatment modalities
- Provides counseling or psychotherapy for individuals - families and groups
- Conducts psychosocial assessments
- Develops treatment plans in collaboration with the Veteran - their families and caregiver and with the interdisciplinary treatment team
- Offers psychosocial interventions and measures outcomes to interventions
- Coordinates community-based services - including information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community agency programs
- Identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services
- Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families
- Works with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical and social problems utilizing individual - group and family counseling and therapy skills
- 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 customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures
- Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the consumer constructively and appropriately
- Work Schedule: A variety of work schedules are available
- Work schedule will be determined upon selection
- NOTE: May be expected to work rotating weekends and holidays
- Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorization is specific to the location selected: Social Workers (Mental Health) occupations are eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program
- You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your application within four months of appointment
- Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
- Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply
- 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) 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) Telework: Telework availability depends on location and service line and is not guaranteed
- Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
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Permanent employment, Full time, Part time, Work experience placement, Work at office, Remote work, Relocation package