Social Worker Job at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Cape Coral

Summary

Incumbents will be assigned and reports to:

• Social Worker-Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV): Bay Pines, FL
• Social Worker-Housing and Urban Development (HUD-VASH): Sarasota, FL
• Social Worker-Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT): Cape Coral, FL

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Duties

These positions report to the Social Work Service of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. The duties and responsibilities are carried throughout the Healthcare System including all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the services.

• Social Worker-Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV): The Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Social Worker supports the VA Homeless Program by providing continuity of care for homeless Veterans between VHA and community-based programs, as the Veteran transitions from homelessness into programs such as HCHV Contract Residential Housing (CRS), Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs (RRTPs), and Grant Per Diem Programs (GPD) as well as directly to permanent housing through the HUD-VASH, SSVF, or other community housing.
• Social Worker-Housing and Urban Development (HUD-VASH): The Housing and Urban Development/Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD/VASH) Program is an intensive clinical case management program for homeless Veterans aimed at providing psychosocial services while residing in stable housing through HUD’s housing choice voucher system.
• Social Worker-Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT): The PACT program assists VHA in transforming Veterans' care by providing patient-driven, proactive, personalized, team-based care focused on wellness and disease prevention, improving Veteran satisfaction, healthcare outcomes, and costs.

Social Worker duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provide case-appropriate professional social work services for Veterans and families/significant others in compliance with VA, VISN, station, and Social Work policies and memorandums.
• Utilize casework, group work, case management, and/or community organization methods to deliver services and provide highly developed professional social work services.
• Independently perform case finding and outreach, identifying and screening patients for psychosocial needs.
• Possess knowledge and ability to independently implement treatment modalities, provide counseling or psychotherapy for individuals, families, and groups in the outpatient mental health clinic.
• Work with patients and families experiencing emotional, medical, and social problems using individual, group, and family counseling skills.
• Assess psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and families, and formulate and implement a treatment plan.
• Possess knowledge of psychosocial treatment modalities and ability to implement them to achieve treatment goals, using supportive, problem-solving, or crisis intervention techniques.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet multiple deadlines, and evaluate assigned program areas.
• Carry full responsibility for cases presenting a wide range of social, emotional, and environmental problems and provide services based on the assessment of the Veteran’s needs.

Work Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Travel

You may be expected to travel for this position.

Functional Statement #

20031F, 20027F, 20033F

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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Driver’s licenses or state-issued identification that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be used as acceptable forms of identification after May 7, 2025.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for all VA Health Care Personnel.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

• Performance and conduct; agency needs; whether continued employment would advance organizational goals; and efficiency of the Federal service will be considered.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive written certification that continued employment advances the public interest.

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 be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited, per VA policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Education: Master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program. Doctoral degree may not substitute for the Master's. Verification via CSWE.
• Licensure: Must be licensed/certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master’s level for GS-0185. See state prerequisites and VA guidance.

Note: Grading and specialty requirements follow VA Qualification Standards. Some provisions may apply to current VA employees under Grandfathering.

Grade Determinations

GS-09 (Entry Level): No post-MSW experience required beyond basic requirements. GS-11 (Full-Performance Level): Minimum one year of post-MSW experience at GS-9 level and licensure/certification, or a doctoral degree in social work substituting for the required experience. Competencies include veteran-centric interventions, psychosocial assessments, treatment modalities, communication, medical and mental health knowledge, and ability to coordinate with community resources. See VA qualification standards for full details.

Education Note: Education and degrees must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for Federal employment. Foreign education may require a foreign equivalency certificate.

Note: 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. If you cannot apply online, contact the Agency.

Other information: The Fair Chance to Compete Act applies; criminal history review is required after a tentative offer. Benefits information available for federal employees. This is a part-time opportunity with potential for full-time based on agency needs.