Summary The incumbent is the Health Care for the Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program Outreach Social Worker. The incumbent identifies homeless veterans in the community (outreach) or through In-reach, who are eligible for VA treatment, identifies treatment resources and provides appropriate referral services. Responsibilities Candidates will be reviewed for minimum qualifications as outlined in the qualifications section of this announcement and referred to the Loma Linda VA Health Care System Social Worker Interview panel no later than 60 DAYS OF THE VACANCY CLOSURE. Selected candidates should plan to report to Loma Linda VA Health Care System for fingerprinting and a physical evaluation. In addition, you will be contacted by various entities within Human Resources to begin all pre-employment processes and must satisfy all condition of employment before a firm offer of employment is made. Resume Requirement: Your resume must be detailed include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment; and average hours worked per week. VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz\_ua\_UU Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Performs other related duties as assigned. HCHV Outreach program includes working with homeless Veterans referred by the community and identified through In-Reach programs, including On-site referrals from other patient care areas. The incumbent will conduct In-Reach duties, including Homeless Hotline Call Center, Walk-Ins, and On-Call at the facility, and Homeless Consults. Incumbent establishes productive working relationships with homeless veterans. The HCHV Outreach Social Worker assumes responsibility for the intake and triage of homeless veterans he/she has identified. The newly identified patients may be in acute distress. The incumbent must demonstrate a high level of professional judgment, which includes the ability to independently make clinical decisions and recommendations. Outreach involves assessment of the patient's dangerousness to self or others, evidence of psychosis, mental status, and the need for psychiatric hospitalization. it includes knowledge of substance abuse, as well as formulation of a psychosocial assessment that includes the veteran's motivation and readiness for treatment, independent living, or contract residential treatment. Outreach involves the ability to function as an effective facilitator between the patient and his/her environment, to make decisions quickly and accurately regarding appropriate disposition or intervention including immediate hospitalization, medical/psychiatric consultation, and mobilization of community and VA resources to meet the patient's financial, social, and environmental needs. Incumbent collaborates with community providers to establish contact with homeless veterans, and if appropriate and time allows, can visit various shelters, missions, or other appropriate community programs to assist Veterans. Incumbent may also participate in community committees, boards and councils as needed or assigned. Outreach in the community is conducted when staffing requirements and coverage is adequately provided, and upon the approval of the HCHV Coordinator. Coordination with community providers can also be maintained even when the incumbent is not in the field. Incumbent will participate in Outreach events as needed within the community and in which the Outreach Program sponsors including community resource fairs, Homeless Stand Down, Homeless Summit, Point In Time Count, etc. Incumbent provides coverage as needed for other HCHV Programs including Outreach, Walk-ins, On-Call, Grant and Per Diem, Contract Residential, Homeless Hotline Call Center, Homeless Consults, Veterans Justice Outreach, and other programs and services within HCHV, as needed. Also documents any problem areas concerning implementation of the program and his/her own activities within the program, and makes suggestions for resolving any such problems consistent with HCHV and Medical Center policies and procedures. Incumbent meets with VA, community, and professional organizations and individuals as needed to carry out assigned developmental and implementation responsibilities, This includes but is not limited to representing the program by screening veterans for participation in any aspects of the program. Incumbent may serve as a Field Instructor or Preceptor supervising Social Work graduate students. The incumbent assumes responsibility and shows initiative for improving professional skills, participating in planning and executing specific staff development projects, attending seminars and institutes and participating in training programs of other disciplines as requested. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm (Subject to Change Based Upon The Needs of the Agency.) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PDFS-000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. Licensure. Full, unrestricted license or certification by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Education. Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. Grade Determinations: GS-09 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements listed above. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 grade level social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Duties may include but are not limited to: identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers/agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver; assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills and psychosocial acuity, in collaboration with the Veteran, family, and interdisciplinary treatment teams; maintaining a current network of internal and external resources to educate the Veteran and/or family members/caregivers and assist with the appropriate referrals. Since social workers at this level are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. GS-11 Experience/Education: Applicants must a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following 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 to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of 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 the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. 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 but not limited to: inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area. Duties include but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills and knowledge to maintain Veteran privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; and acts as an advocate with appropriate VA and community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the Veteran and family members/caregiver. Incumbent independently assesses the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, identifying the Veteran's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11. Preferred Experience: Candidates with a history of working with people experiencing homelessness. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 - Social Worker Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: Traveling throughout the medical center and the community is required, as is performing activities involving sitting, walking, and standing, bending and carrying such items as books, papers, and files. In carrying out responsibilities it may be necessary for the incumbent to travel into the community where he/she conducts interviews with the Veterans, their families, representatives of community health and welfare agencies and law enforcement agencies. The incumbent must possess current driver's license and drive a government vehicle in carrying out professional duties when deemed necessary. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Education is basic requirement for this position. Failure to submit transcript may result in your application being withdrawn from consideration. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.