Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Senior Social Worker (Suicide Prevention Coordinator)
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CAZM-12716649-25-KSB Opens in new window
Open Period
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 to Wednesday, April 9, 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 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. Are you willing to undergo a pre-employment physical? (limit characters)
5. Please indicate dates of the highest grade you have held in the Federal service (if applicable). (limit characters)
Assessment 1
To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements. 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 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-12.
(limit characters)
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:
(limit characters)
3. Are you licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level? (limit characters)
3a. Please provide your license/certification information.
Name on License:
Issuing state or territory:
Complete license number:
Initial Issuance Date:
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-12 Senior Social Worker Licensure:  Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Do you possess a license that meets the criteria above?
(limit characters)
5. GS-12 ASWB Examination: Did you complete and pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) advanced generalist or clinical examination? (limit characters)
6. GS-12 Senior Social Worker Experience: Do you possess at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level? Examples of specialized experience 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; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.  Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Applicable experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. (limit characters)
7. GS-12 Senior Social Worker Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience for the GS-12 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
  1. Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.
  2. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
  3. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
  4. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.
  5. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
8. A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License.

Do you possess a current and valid state-issued driver's license?

(limit characters)
8a. Please provide the following information regarding your driver's license. Reminder - DO NOT include a copy of your license; if referred for interview it may be requested at that time.

Name on License:
Issuing State:
License number:
Expiration Date:
(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/
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
9. 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.
(limit characters)