Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Social Worker (PACT)
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSV-11977760-23-JM Opens in new window
Open Period
Monday, May 22, 2023 to Friday, June 9, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Preferences
1. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position. (limit characters)
2. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
(limit characters)
Resume Reminder- Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
(limit characters)
Accuracy of Application Reminder:
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
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Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a career with the VA. The following questions will determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the Social Worker position.

Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
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BASIC REQUIREMENTS

The following section is used to determine your eligibility for this vacancy. Your application must provide acceptable proof of your status. Please choose an answer for each of the following items to identify which of the following descriptions applies to you.
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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. English Language Proficiency.

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

Are you proficient in spoken and written English?
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2. Education.

Have 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 http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation (http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation) to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.


Do you possess the master's degree in social work from a school of social work accredited by the CSWE?
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3. Licensure/Certification.

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 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. 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.

Are you independently licensed for the GS-11 grade level OR agree to the exception for GS-9 pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations? (MUST PROVIDE COPY OF LICENSE IF LICENSED)
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GRADE DETERMINATIONS

The following section is used to determine your eligibility for this vacancy. Your application must provide acceptable proof of your experience. Please choose A (Yes) or B (No) for each of the following items to identify which of the following descriptions applies to you.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
4. Social Worker, GS-9

Experience/Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

*In addition to meeting all the basic requirements listed above, you must be able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
  1. Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills.
  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.
Do you meet the experience/education, licensure OR exception , and KSAs requirements as described above?
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5. Social Worker, GS-11

Experience/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
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 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

*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, 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.
Do you meet the experience/education, licensure, and KSAs requirements as described above?
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RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
-Job title-Month & Year start/end dates (e.g., June 2016 to April 2018)
-Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
-Duties (be as detailed as possible)-Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held.

Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: 
Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
(limit characters)