Summary

This position is located at the North Florida / South Georgia Veterans Health System in the Community Reintegration and Recovery Service - at the Honor Center/Domiciliary located in Jacksonville - Florida. The Social Worker's responsibilities include the assessment of mental health and psychosocial problems - often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis and includes the provision of case management - short term - solution focused interventions and counseling/psychotherapy.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the requirements by the closing date of this announcement 07/08/2025.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Must be US Citizen
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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 to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• 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 work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• **For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified.** Exception GS-9: 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 appointments at the GS-9 grade level - VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• Most states require two years of post-MSW experience as a prerequisite to taking the licensure/certification exam - and VHA gives social workers one additional year to pass the licensure/certification exam
• In states such as California - Washington - and others where the prerequisites for licensure exceed two years - social workers must become licensed at the independent - master's level within one year of meeting the full state prerequisites for licensure
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-09 Social Worker candidates must have the following: Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-11 Social Worker candidates must have the following: Experience and Licensure: Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one (1) 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 (1) year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting
• Additional transcripts must be submitted to support this
• While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills - Abilities - and Other Characteristics (KSAOs) - you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position
• Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training
• otherwise - we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim
• If selected - you may be required to complete narrative responses then
• The GS-9 and 11 KSA's for this position are: GS-09 Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills
• 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
• GS-11 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 - cultural - ethnic - educational and other diversified 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
• References: VA Regulations - specifically VA Handbook 5005/120 - Part II - Appendix G39 - Qualification Standard - dated 9/10/19
• For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.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: The work requires extreme patience and controlling of emotions
• The work may require using appropriate techniques to physical restrain patients who present a danger to self or others
• The work may also require assisting physically disabled Veterans
• Day to day work involves sitting - walking - standing and carrying light objects
• The work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable diseases common to the homeless populations
• Much of the work is performed in a setting away from the office - where the environment cannot be controlled
• Must be able to express or exchange ideas by means of spoken and written word
• Must be able to view and read information on computer screens
• Incumbent must have a valid driver's license and pass Occupational Health screening as position will require driving a government vehicle
• Must be able to safely operate a government owner vehicle to be utilized in community based work and the transportation of patients.

Duties

• Statement of Major Duties for Domiciliary Social Worker: The position is located in the Homeless Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program (DCHV) program which is part of the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program for North Florida/South Georgia VA Health System
• This is an off-site location away from the medical center
• This position will ensure that Veterans participating in the Homeless Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Program receive high intensity clinical and case management services to ensure a smooth reintegration into independent community based living
• The incumbent works closely with other members of the treatment team and with other DCHV staff to insure the highest quality of care for Veterans living in the Domiciliary
• The incumbent works closely with the VA medical center's other homeless programs - residential and community care programs - and inpatient providers to ensure that coordination between these entities is facilitated and that Veteran's direct care - referral - and follow up is contiguous and based on a continuum of services
• The incumbent provides support to the local Medical Center through the assignment of special projects and/or committees
• The incumbent provides support and mentoring to social work interns and newly hired social workers
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Wednesday - Sunday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available
• Travel: You may be expected to travel up to 25% of the time - Valid Driver's License required 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)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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: Not available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: Social Worker Domiciliary - FS # 55595F (GS-11) and 000000 (GS-9).