Social Worker

The Acute Care Medical/Surgical Social Worker is a key member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, providing professional social work services to Veterans and their families within the acute medical/surgical inpatient setting at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments of Veterans and their families.
• Develop and implement individualized treatment plans.
• Provide crisis intervention and supportive counseling.
• Coordinate discharge planning and continuity of care after hospitalization.
• Address complex psychosocial, emotional, and resource needs of patients facing acute illness or injury.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to optimize resources and promote seamless transitions of care.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship (non‑citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited).
• Master’s degree in Social Work from a program fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• State licensure or certification to independently practice social work at the master’s level (or a waiver for GS‑9 candidates pending licensure).
• For GS‑9: No experience beyond basic requirements; must demonstrate KSAs listed below.
• For GS‑11: Minimum one year of post‑MSW experience equivalent to the GS‑9 level in health‑care or related social‑work settings, and independent state licensure.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Veteran‑centric counseling for Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors.
  • Assessment of psychosocial functioning and formulation of treatment plans.
  • Implementation of supportive, problem‑solving, and crisis‑intervention techniques.
  • Effective communication and relationship‑building with clients, staff, and community agencies.
  • Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental‑health diagnoses, disabilities, treatment procedures, common medications, side effects, and medical terminology.

Preferred Experience

• Experience working on integrated multidisciplinary teams (e.g., PCMHI, BHIP).
• Prior experience delivering services related to Substance Use Disorders (SUD).

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular increases; higher step rates may be awarded for unique qualifications.
• Paid Time Off: 37–50 days annually (13–26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 federal holidays).
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks paid leave after 12 months of employment for birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child Care Subsidy: Up to 25 % of eligible child‑care costs (maximum $416.66 per month) for full‑time employees with family income below $144,000 after 60 days of employment.
• 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 (portable into retirement).
• Telework: Eligible for ad‑hoc telework as determined by agency policy.
• Virtual: Position is not virtual.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Schedule

Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm with rotating weekends and holidays.