Senior Social Worker

About the role

Social Worker assigned to Community Housing and Outreach Services Programs at VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) in the Puget Sound region of Washington, providing direct services for Veterans, their families, and caregivers. VAPSHCS includes a major medical facility in Seattle, outpatient and residential facilities at American Lake Campus in Tacoma, and seven Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States citizenship (non‑citizens may be appointed only when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy).

Education: Master’s degree in social work from a school fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools in candidacy status do not meet this requirement. A doctoral degree cannot substitute for the master’s degree. Verification can be done at CSWE accreditation site.

Licensure: Must hold a state license or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s level and maintain a full, valid, unrestricted license. Loss of licensure may result in removal from the GS‑0185 series and possible termination.

English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Grade Determination (GS‑12 Senior Social Worker):

• At least two years of post‑advanced practice clinical licensure experience, with one year equivalent to the GS‑11 grade level.
• Demonstrated advanced practice skills, judgment, and expertise in a specialized area of social work.
• May possess certification or post‑master’s training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university, including supervised experience.
• Must hold an advanced‑practice state license (or be grandfathered where applicable) and be able to provide supervision for licensure.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and family counseling or psychotherapy, and advanced psychosocial or case management.
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges.
• Knowledge of developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice, using outcome evaluations to improve services and design system changes.
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment and to role‑model effective social work practice.
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge, write policies, procedures, and practice guidelines pertinent to the service delivery area.

Duties

• Communicate potential policy or protocol changes to local VA leadership.
• Coordinate local planning efforts for a Coordinated Entry System (CES) in collaboration with HUD and local Continuums of Care (CoC).
• Ensure efficient sharing of Veteran data and program information in compliance with VA privacy and information security policies, including knowledge of HMIS and HOMES data standards.
• Participate in CoC‑level resource‑and‑demand analysis, review gaps, and recommend adjustments to resource allocations within coordinated entry.
• Support CHOS teams as a functional member, including participation in outreach activities and providing subject‑matter consultation on community‑based interventions for homeless Veterans.

Pay

Competitive salary with regular salary increases. A higher step rate within the appropriate grade may be awarded based on higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (above minimum rate of the grade).

Schedule

Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Compressed/flexible schedule not authorized.

Benefits

• Paid time off: 37–50 days per year (13–26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 federal holidays). Credit toward annual leave may be granted based on prior work or military experience.
• Parental leave: Up to 12 weeks paid after 12 months of employment for birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child care subsidy: After 60 days, full‑time employees with family income below $144,000 may receive up to 25 % of eligible child‑care costs, capped at $416.66 per month.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5‑year vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5 % VA contributions.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long‑term care coverage (many programs portable into retirement).
• Telework: May be authorized on an ad‑hoc basis. This is not a virtual position.