Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Social Worker (DOM-SUD)
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CAZM-12709190-25-KSB Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 to Tuesday, September 30, 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)
2. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information. (limit characters)
3. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information. (limit characters)
4. Are you a current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduate?

An HPT may be VA-paid, Without Compensation (WOC), or a participant of the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program that has been appointed to a temporary position in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experience to satisfy program or degree requirements.

To verify your standing as a current/past/upcoming HPT graduate, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50), the FL-294 (or a WOC appointment letter). (limit characters)
5. Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form. (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)
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)
2. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement. (limit characters)
3. Please indicate the highest grade you have held in the Federal government. (limit characters)
4. Please indicate dates of the highest grade you have held in the Federal service (if applicable). (limit characters)
5. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements. Grandfathering 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 may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-0185-11) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements.


The Full performance Level of this vacancy is GS-11.  


HPTs who have successfully completed or are expected to successfully complete an affiliate sponsored or VA sponsored training program may be considered based on completing the requirements listed below by the date of appointment. Please ensure you provide all supporting documentation regarding your training program and expected completion on your Resume. Ensure you provide details in the provided narrative sections of this assessment. 

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1. Are you proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)? (limit characters)
2. Do you hold 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. Note: A doctoral degree in Social Work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work. (limit characters)
2a. Please provide the following information regarding the academic institution from which you received your master’s degree.
Name of Institution:
City and State:
Degree: Major/Program:
Month and Year conferred (If you are a HPT, please put "HPT, ____VA HCS, Expected Graduation MM/YEAR."): (limit characters)
3. Are you licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level? 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. (limit characters)
3a. Please provide your license/certification information. If you are not licensed/certified and do not expect to become certified with 3 years indicate N/A. Otherwise, indicate N/A.
Name on License: 
Issuing state or territory: 
License level (i.e. LSW, LMSW, LCSW): 
Complete license number: 
Date first issued: 
Expiration date:  (limit characters)
Grade Level Requirements - Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. (limit characters)
4. GS-09 Social Worker Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements for this occupation, do you possess 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. (limit characters)
5. GS-11 Social Worker Licensure: Do you have a current and active license or are certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level? (limit characters)
6. GS-11 Experience or Education: Do you possess 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)? 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 advocate with community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the patient and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. - OR - Do you possess a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work? (limit characters)
6a. Please provide the following information regarding the academic institution from which you received your doctoral degree, otherwise indicate N/A.
Name of Institution:
City and State:
Degree Major/Program Month and Year conferred: (limit characters)
7. GS-11 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience or education for the GS-11 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?

(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. (limit characters)

***Application Package Notification & Important Information*** 

We appreciate your interest in available positions within the Heart of Texas VA Health Care System. It is our goal to forward every eligible and qualified candidate for consideration. 

Due to the nature of our systems, it is imperative that your application package be accurate and complete. Therefore, prior to finalizing your application package and submitting for consideration: 

* Ensure all documents are appropriately selected, are legible, and have uploaded successfully (we recommend viewing them a second time to ensure no errors have occurred in the process). Missing documents may cause your application package to be ineligible for consideration. 

* Ensure that all responses to the assessment questions are accurate and correctly reflect your current situation. Question responses are used in determining if you meet specific eligibility and qualification requirements. 

Please Note: Until the closing date of the announcement, you can update or edit your package. However, once your application package is submitted and the announcement period closes, we are unable to add documentation or alter your responses. By submitting your package for consideration, you are attesting that your application package is complete and accurate. 

Some helpful tips: 

*Resume - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: 

  • Job title Grade Level (for federal positions) 

  • Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position) 

  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2019 to April 2020) 

  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) 

*Education - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. 

*Veteran's Preference - In order to receive appropriate preference consideration, you must submit proper documentation if you are claiming eligibility for Veteran's preference, which includes a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 or earlier version that shows character of service). Applicant's claiming 10-point preference should also submit an SF-15, Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference along with the required documentation listed on the SF-15 form (such as verification of service-connected disability percentage). 

*Current or former VA or Federal Employees - You must submit a copy of a current and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (not an award SF50) 

*Proof of current certification, licensure, or registration (if applicable). 

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/transcripts/ 

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/ 

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/ 

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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
8.

I have read and understand the Application Package Notification & Important Information notice, and understand my application may not be forwarded if any necessary information is missing that makes me appear ineligible or not qualified. While some documents may not be identified as required (example: transcripts, copy of licensure, etc), it is highly recommended you submit them with your application to ensure you receive full credit for your education or licensure. 

 

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