Veterans Health Administration
Company:
Veterans Health Administration Location:
Augusta, US Employment Type:
Full-Time Date Posted:
12/06/2025 Job Categories:
Government and Policy, Healthcare, Other, Healthcare, Practitioner and Technician
Job Description
Social Worker
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: Be a citizen of the United States
Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
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
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/
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-9 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
English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
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: Social Worker, GS-9 (Entry Level) (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure
None beyond the basic requirements
(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
(b) 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
(c) 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
(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies
(e) 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
Social Worker, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (1) Experience and Licensure
Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of 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 (2) 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
(3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services
(b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds
(c) 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
(d) 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
(e) 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
Reference: Former VA Handbook Reference: Part II Appendix G39 Effective Date 9/10/2019
For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
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
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
Contact Information
Company Name:
Veterans Health Administration Website:
https://www.usajobs.gov/
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Veterans Health Administration Location:
Augusta, US Employment Type:
Full-Time Date Posted:
12/06/2025 Job Categories:
Government and Policy, Healthcare, Other, Healthcare, Practitioner and Technician
Job Description
Social Worker
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: Be a citizen of the United States
Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
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
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/
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-9 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
English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
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: Social Worker, GS-9 (Entry Level) (1) Experience, Education, and Licensure
None beyond the basic requirements
(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to utilize counseling skills when working with Veterans and family members
(b) 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
(c) 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
(d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies
(e) 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
Social Worker, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) (1) Experience and Licensure
Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of 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 (2) 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
(3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services
(b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, educational, and other backgrounds
(c) 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
(d) 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
(e) 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
Reference: Former VA Handbook Reference: Part II Appendix G39 Effective Date 9/10/2019
For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
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
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
Contact Information
Company Name:
Veterans Health Administration Website:
https://www.usajobs.gov/
#J-18808-Ljbffr