Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Social Worker
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBTE-12663451-25-JW Opens in new window
Open Period
Friday, January 10, 2025 to Friday, January 31, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
Preferences
1. 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)
Your resume must be submitted in English and 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. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
(limit characters)
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). (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. Do you meet:

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it
is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A,
paragraph 3g this part).
(limit characters)
2. Do you meet:

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 to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
(limit characters)
3. Do you meet:

. 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
http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/.

(1) 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.]
(limit characters)
4. Do you meet:

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee
Occupational Health Services.
(limit characters)
5. Do you meet:

English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written
English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
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6. Do you meet:

Social Worker GS-9

Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social
workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they
are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent
licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned
to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties
may 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, etc.
(limit characters)
For each technical area below, select the response that most accurately describes your current level of experience and demonstrated capability. (limit characters)
7. For the GS-9 Level:

Please explain your ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic,
cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling
skills.
(limit characters)
8. Please explain your 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.
(limit characters)
9. Please explain your 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.
(limit characters)
10. Please explain your ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate
with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies.
(limit characters)
11. Please explain your 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.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
12. Do you meet:

Social Worker, GS-11

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.

NOTE: For appointment licensure or certification at this level please refer to paragraph 3c.

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.

Full Performance Level Assignments. 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 .Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, ·handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity. In collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team, the social worker facilitates the delivery of health care services. The social worker identifies family/caregiver stressors, conducts assessment and provides specific interventions. 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 Veteran's 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. The social worker provides interventions independently with Veterans and their families/caregivers who are experiencing a wide range of complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems. They provide a range of interventions and treatment modalities which may include individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy. 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. They provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of Veterans offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective social work practice skills. The social worker establishes and maintains ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff, to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population.



(limit characters)
For each technical area below, select the response that most accurately describes your current level of experience and demonstrated capability. (limit characters)
13. For the GS-11 level:

Please explain your knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services.

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14. Please explain your 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.

(limit characters)
15. Please explain your 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.
(limit characters)
16. Please explain your 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.
(limit characters)
17. Please explain your 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.
 
(limit characters)