U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring: Social Worker in Indianapolis

Overview

Social Worker role at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The incumbent functions as one of the HUD-VASH Social Workers for the Medical Center's Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program (HCHV),HUD-VASH, a collaborative effort with HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and VA’s provision of intensive case management services. The primary goal is to move Veterans and their families out of chronic homelessness.

Responsibilities

• Treat​ment Planning/Goal Setting: develop a mutually agreed-upon treatment plan based on assessment data, veteran strengths, and identified barriers.
• Referral to Service Providers: serve as the subject matter expert on VA/community resources and collaborate with other providers to reassess needs.
• Advocacy: advocate for the Veteran/family when appropriate, educate and empower them to advocate on their own behalf.
• Crisis Intervention: perform rapid assessments and develop crisis management plans for potential inpatient admission when needed.
• Education/Health Promotion and Prevention: provide education on VA/community resources, entitlements, and directives; refer to the interdisciplinary team as needed.
• Supportive Counseling/Case Management: provide ongoing counseling to Veterans and caregivers to address psychosocial impacts of homelessness and chronic illness.

Work Schedule & Compensation

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Pay: Competitive salary with regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days per year (13-26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 federal holidays).

Parental Leave: up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.

Child Care Subsidy: eligible after 60 days of employment for full-time employees with income below $144,000; subsidy up to 25% of eligible costs up to monthly max of $416.66.

Retirement & Insurance: federal pension with vesting, federal 401K with up to 5% contributions; federal health/vision/dental/long-term care.

Telework: Ad-hoc.

Requirements & Qualifications

Conditions of employment and basic requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Selective Service registration for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken).
• Background/security investigation; online onboarding; pre-employment physical; influenza vaccination program; COVID-19 vaccination program; valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

Education & Licensure:

• Master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program. Doctoral degree not a substitute for MSW.
• License/certification to independently practice social work at MSW level (state-specific). Special provisions may apply at GS-9; licensure required for GS-11 and above.
• Grandfathering provisions may apply for current VA employees meeting criteria.

Grade Determination (GS-9/GS-11) and KSAs:

• GS-9: general responsibilities with knowledge of psychosocial functioning, treatment planning, and crisis intervention; ability to collaborate with Veterans and families from diverse backgrounds; ability to assess psychosocial needs and implement treatment plans; knowledge of medical/mental health terminology.
• GS-11: requires one year post-MS​W experience at GS-9 level and licensure/certification; or doctoral degree in social work. KSAs include knowledge of resources, independent psychosocial assessments, treatment interventions, and ability to provide consultative guidance to staff.

Note: The full performance level is GS-11; selection may be at GS-9 to GS-11. Refer to VA Qualification Standards for details.

Physical Requirements

Potential tasks include standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, climbing stairs, and lifting up to 25 lbs. May be asked to attend administrative and professional meetings.

Additional Information

Transcript submission may be required if education is used to meet qualifications. Foreign education requires proper credential recognition. This job may be used to fill additional vacancies and is in the Excepted Service. VA encourages applicants with disabilities; federal benefits apply. If applying online is not possible, contact the agency for alternate submission options.

This opportunity falls under the Fair Chance to Compete Act; criminal history inquiries are not made before a tentative job offer.