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: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy
• Education: Must 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 if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of Social Work
• Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 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 on the OHRM website
• 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
• Supervisory Social Worker - GS-13 Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment
• Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship - or equivalent supervised professional experience
• ~AND~ Licensure/Certification: Individuals assigned as supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level - and must be able to provide supervision for licensure .~AND~ Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition - the candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to independently organize work - set priorities - and meet multiple deadlines
• Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision - consultation - negotiation with other departments and quality improvement
• Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers
• Ability to delegate authority - manage priorities - coordinate work - and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems - develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations - and use data effectively to manage workload - quality - performance - and productivity within the service
• Ability to provide staff training and development
• Preferred Experience: Knowledge and understanding of the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Knowledge of methods - principles - and theories sufficient to intervene and stabilize combat Veterans suffering from multiple diagnoses
• Ability to conduct psycho-social assessments and implement treatment plans for combat Veterans and their families
• Ability to establish and maintain referral networks through community outreach to provide services to Veterans
• Experience in working with Veterans - especially combat Veterans
• Experience in working with Veterans who were sexually traumatized/harassed while in the military
• Experience in providing family counseling services to Veterans and their family
• Experience working with combat Veterans and their families who have PTSD or readjustment issues and the ability to make independent judgments and recommendations about a number of serious and complex cases
• Special knowledge and skill in the field of Veterans in community resource identification and development - in public speaking and basic principles of education - in staff recruitment and development - and in program design and management
• Knowledge of VA and community resources available to Veterans and their family
• Developing and managing a clinic's budget and program funds
• Working knowledge of electronic records
• Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates and sets guidelines for clinical - therapeutic and treatment priorities
• Incumbent must have possession of supervisory and management skills
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.Physical Requirements: The work does not inherently include physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with a workplace accommodation.

Duties

• Readjustment Counseling Service is a unique service within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that provides readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans - active military Service members whose service was in support of combat operations - who suffered a military sexual trauma - provided direct emergent medical care or mortuary services to casualties of war - or who served as a member of an unmanned aerial crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat zone or are of hostility - and their families
• Readjustment counseling consists of direct counseling services - community outreach (face-to-face connection) - and referral services to community providers - VA and non-VA
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Social Work: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf The Supervisory Social Worker supervises both professional and nonprofessional staff including a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals of various performance levels who work in multiple locations (Vet Centers - Vet Center Outstations and Community Access Points) and in communities distant from the Vet Center through planned outreach - often in conjunction with a Mobile Vet Center
• Additional responsibilities/duties include - but are not limited to: Responsible for administrative and outreach staff service functions ensuring that the needs of individuals in their VSA are met
• Oversees the fiscal - contractual - and operational obligations of the community-based Vet Center
• This includes government vehicles and routing and emergent Mobile Vet Center deployment
• Responsible for the Vet Center's resource and fiscal management - monitoring control points - developing the annual budget - operating within that budget - and accounting for appropriated funds
• Analyses organizational and operational problems - develops and implements solutions that result in efficient operations and uses data to manage workload - quality - performance and productivity
• Leads the coordination and briefing during meetings with Congressional representatives and their staff
• Oversees services delivered by the Vet Center to include ensuring that outreach and counseling services are delivered in a manner consistent with RCS policy and that staff deliver services within the scope of their training and experience
• Takes the lead in planning - establishing - and implementing Vet Center policies and procedures - developing staff goals and objectives - and monitoring - coordinating and evaluating the work of all Vet Center staff
• Assures that all staff whom they supervise are aware of - and adhere to - all current VHA directives - state licensure standards - and VA-OIG expectations
• Conducts ongoing intensive reviews and appraisals to ensure the accomplishment of objectives and adherence to standards set by governing bodies
• Provides direct readjustment counseling services within and outside of the Vet Center to include in-person and virtual services based on client preference - with the parameters of all VHA directives - state licensure standards - and VA-OIG expectations
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Monday - Friday - standard operational hours with occasional evenings and weekends based on operational need of the facility Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized 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 #: 64523A Permanent Change of Station (PCS):