Clarification from the agency

Open to all US Citizens and Permanent Federal Employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The Clinical Social Worker is a critical position in the Columbia VAMC Housing and Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD VASH) Program and is under the supervision of the Supervisory Social Worker for the HUD VASH Program/Program Specialist for the D-VASH Program. The HUD VASH Program is a collaborative effort, supported through HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA's Provision of intensive case management services by acuity level. The primary goal of HUD VASH is to move Veterans and their families out of chronic homelessness.


VA Careers - Social Work:https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include, but not limited to:
The incumbent serves as one of the Medical Center's primary point of contact for the national HUD VASH Program, Office of Mental Health Services and VACO. The incumbent ensures that the program is run in accordance with the National HUD VASH Program, Office of Mental Health Services and VACO directives and helps develop policies and procedures to govern the program at the Columbia VAMC.

The incumbent is responsible for data collection, record keeping, and monitoring patient or program clinical indicators, thresholds, and performance measurements. Additionally, the incumbent develops working relationships and agreements with other organizations and directly coordinates with the designated PHA regarding housing voucher application and award process for each Veteran. The incumbent is responsible to review the agreements between Section 8 landlords, PHAs, and the VA to establish appropriate referral sites for placements.

The incumbent establishes, implements, and maintains referral and screening procedures for potential HUD VASH Veteran participants that meet national policy as well as the needs of medical center mental health services and residential programs. Referral, screening and admission criteria recognizes program eligibility, prioritization of subsets of the homeless Veteran population, requirements of the PHAs, and other policy, regulation, or law pertaining to program administration.

The incumbent develops and serves as the team member for the screening procedures to involve a multidisciplinary team approach and is responsible to ensure criteria and procedures are maintained. The incumbent is responsible for coordination of emergent and temporary housing opportunities and services under the guidance of the Supervisory Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH. The incumbent ensures that these components are commensurate with the goals and objectives of the HUD VASH program and its recovery model of care. The incumbent is required to reassess in an ongoing manner the changing and evolving needs of the Veteran population.

The incumbent will interface with the HUD-VASH staff and the Supervisory Program Specialist for the HCHV/CWT/HUD-VASH Programs on a regular basis related to matters of services delivery, program development, and job definition. The incumbent will interface with colleagues from other VA facilities in order to ensure efficiently coordinated services to those members of the VISN, as well as the local community, including shelters.


Work Schedule: Monday -Friday 800am-4:30pm
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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)
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 56342F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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 to be appointed as authorized by38 U.S.C. § 7403
• 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/.
  • (1) Exception. 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-09 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.
    • (a) For appointments at the GS-09 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.
    • (b) A social worker who does not yet have a license that allows independent practice must be supervised by a licensed independent practitioner of the same discipline who is a VA staff member and who has access to the electronic health record.
  • 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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level.
• Resume
• Transcript

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s degree level.
• Resume longer than two pages
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps