Social Worker- Housing and Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing(HUD-VASH) Case Manager

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval — award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) — is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: 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 as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Education: 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 in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree. Verify accreditation at cswe.org/Accreditation.
• Licensure: Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements at vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. May qualify under the Grandfathering Provision per the VA Qualification Standard (applicable only to current VHA employees in this occupation who meet criteria).

Grade Determinations: Social Worker — GS-11

Experience and Licensure: Appointment to GS-11 requires a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to GS-9 in health care or other social work-related settings (VA or non-VA) and licensure/certification in a state at the independent practice level. For licensure details refer to paragraph 3c of the qualification standard.

Education Alternative: A doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• 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 with individuals from diverse socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other backgrounds.
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures (acute, chronic, traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan.
• Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities with individuals, families, and groups experiencing 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 psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and treatment compliance.

Full Performance Level Assignments

This is the full performance level. Social workers at this level are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. Incumbents are assigned to all program areas — including inpatient/outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics — and provide professional, independent social work services. Duties include:

• Assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and/or intimate partner violence.
• Using clinical social work skills to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks, or directives.
• Acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregivers.
• Independently assessing psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their families, identifying strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.
• Facilitating delivery of health care services in collaboration with the Veteran, family/caregiver, and interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Identifying family/caregiver stressors, conducting assessments, and providing specific interventions.
• Providing case management and care coordination to facilitate appropriate health care delivery, incorporating complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment, including psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
• Linking Veterans with services, resources, and opportunities to maximize independence, health, and well-being.
• Conducting timely assessment of at-risk Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety plans.
• Providing independent interventions with Veterans and families/caregivers experiencing complicated medical, behavioral health, financial, legal, and psychosocial problems.
• Delivering a range of interventions and treatment modalities, including individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy.
• Independently formulating and implementing treatment plans with measurable, achievable goals identifying Veterans' needs, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.
• Serving on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN level, or in the community.
• Providing subject matter consultation to colleagues and students on psychosocial treatment of Veterans, offering professional opinions based on experience, expertise, and role modeling effective social work practice.
• Establishing and maintaining ongoing education programs for Veterans, community agencies, students, and staff to facilitate understanding of social work interventions specific to the Veteran/Military population.

Reference: VA Qualification Standards. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 — Employee Occupational Health Services.

Responsibilities

• Provide case management for a caseload of veterans in the HUD-VASH program.
• Review agreements between Section 8, landlords, Public Housing Authorities, and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for HUD-VASH placements.
• Perform site visits of HUD-VASH apartments to ensure veterans reside in safe environments in compliance with local housing codes.
• Verify the veteran's status, eligibility for VA medical care, and eligibility for program participation.
• Ensure homeless veterans are considered as primary participants for program acceptance.
• Collect and submit HUD-VASH Program participant data as outlined by NEPEC evaluation procedures.
• Provide HUD-VASH case management — defined as provision of services by VA clinical staff to homeless veterans, including all activities to provide appropriate treatment and maintain veterans in HUD-approved stable housing.
• Coordinate care, serve as an advocate for veterans to ensure comprehensive service delivery, and link/refer veterans to the VA Medical Center, VA Regional Offices, and/or community agencies.
• Comply with criminal conflict of interest laws and Executive Branch Standards of Conduct to avoid conflicts of interest while serving as HUD-VASH Case Manager.
• Actively participate in HUD-VASH Program conference calls and attend training offered by HUD-VASH.
• Follow local policy and SOP for the HUD-VASH Program, including policies and documentation requirements for GARF and Joint Commission accreditation.
• Actively participate in program planning and development, advising the supervisor of shifting caseload trends and recommending program procedure or policy changes based on work experience.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments to determine needs of veterans and family members.
• Participate actively in the treatment planning process with other disciplines.
• Participate in discharge planning with other disciplines and ensure discharge plans are executed timely and appropriately.
• Provide individual, family, and group counseling as appropriate.
• Provide consultation/education to veterans and families on community resources, advance directives, and VA benefits.
• Act as a consultant to other team/staff members.
• Act as liaison between VA and community resources, including marketing and public relations duties as needed.

Work Schedule

Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm. Telework is not available. This is not a virtual position.

Additional Information

• Functional Statement #: 51072-F
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified applicants.
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for this incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator at VISN9HREDRP@va.gov for questions/assistance.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): May be authorized for highly qualified applicants.