Senior Social Worker

About the role

The Senior Social Worker will serve Veterans in community-based outpatient clinics throughout North Florida and South Georgia. This position requires advanced knowledge of the biopsychosocial, behavioral health, and mental health needs of Veterans and their families/caregivers.

Responsibilities include psychosocial and mental health assessments, treatment planning, care coordination, case management, crisis intervention, and evidence-based psychotherapy.

What you will do

• The Senior Social Worker will empower positive outcomes for Veterans and the healthcare system through independent clinical decision-making, expert case consultation, and advanced social work practice.
• As a leader, mentor, and educator, this position supports the development of frontline staff, provides clinical supervision and guidance, and helps shape the next generation of social workers through student oversight and training.
• Serving as a trusted subject matter expert, this role drives excellence in complex case management, care coordination, and professional education across the healthcare system.
• Functions include, but are not limited to: Utilize available data sources to proactively identify patients for screening/triage, assessment, treatment planning, case management and care coordination.
• Receive referrals from a variety of sources to include triage, consults, walk-in visits, phone calls, and warm hand-offs from internal and external stakeholders.
• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial and behavioral health assessments by integrating clinical findings to identify Veterans' strengths, needs, goals, and presenting concerns, and develop effective treatment and discharge plans that support recovery and well-being.
• Expand clinical knowledge in the profession by writing policies, standard operating procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
• Perform case findings in identifying and screening patients for psychosocial, behavioral health or mental health needs.
• Identify high-risk patients and provide case management, care coordination, crisis intervention, family conferencing, and liaison services to support treatment and care planning.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and provide consultation services to multidisciplinary colleagues and students regarding the psychosocial, behavioral health and mental health needs and treatment of Veterans Serve as a mentor and educator to social work students, promoting excellence in clinical practice, professional development, and Veteran-centered care.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of patient flow and healthcare system processes to ensure the efficient delivery of psychosocial, behavioral health, and mental health services within the assigned specialty area.
• Work Schedule: 8am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 52091F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

• 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 to complete pre-employment requirements (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.
• 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.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 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.
• Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

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: ***

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: ***

How you will be evaluated

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.

RESUME REMINDER: Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear and in English so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title.

If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter.

If your resume includes a photo, you will be disqualified. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: * Updated and accurate duties (be as detailed as possible) * Grade level (applicable for federal jobs) * Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) * Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week).

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.

Documents you must provide

• License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Other (1) Professional Certification SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Veterans' preference does not apply to this announcement since it fall under the VA occupational shortage list.

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.

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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions.

Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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 an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.