Social Worker - Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

What you will do

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Aleda E.
• Lutz Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan is recruiting for a Social Worker that serves in a full-time capacity within the Homeless Programs under the Social Work Services (SWS), which includes affiliated community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs).
• This position is located at the Gaylord CBOC and incumbent will be expected to travel to/from community locations and Veterans homes in a 10 county radius from the CBOC, all within an hour drive of the duty station.
• Major duties include, but are not limited to: Serving as the Healthcare of Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Social Worker, providing outreach, assessments, referrals, and case management services to homeless Veterans identified in the community.
• The HCHV Social Worker is typically the first Homeless Programs clinician to make contact with the literally homeless and at-risk Veterans.
• Serving as the entry point for Homeless services, and thus, provides VA a way to provide outreach, assist, and offer homeless Veterans an "open door" to the continuum of VA services.
• Providing outreach services as a key and essential element of the HCHV program, designed to reduce homelessness among Veterans by directly contacting those who are of the most vulnerable and underserved and engaging them in supportive and rehabilitative services.
• Working in the community to provide outreach services to homeless veterans at shelters, soup kitchens, and other agencies in the community serving the homeless.
• Performing triaging/screening as well as comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments, integrating input from the Veteran, their caregiver/family, VA records, as well as brief assessments when appropriate.
• Completing diagnostic tools including the Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System (HOMES) assessment to ensure appropriate housing resources and additional treatment services are received.
• Educating/linking Veterans and/or their caregivers about/with appropriate VA and community resources to address their needs, both in individual and group formats.
• Providing crisis intervention services and referral to appropriate resources both within the VA and community.
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm; additional tours of duty may be required based on needs of the agency Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact ***, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
• Note this is only for new to federal service candidates; pay will be set following federal pay-setting procedures for current federal employees.
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
• This is only for new to federal service candidates.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: GS-9: 93288A; GS-11: 93289A 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.
• 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).
• 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: *** Note: Creditable Experience.

The candidate must have knowledge of current professional social work practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. The experience or education must be post-Masters of Social Work(MSW) degree.

Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Quality of Experience.

Experience is only creditable if it is obtained following graduation with a master's degree in social work and if it includes work as a professional social worker directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to social work experience at the next lower level Fellowships or Post-Graduate Training.

Fellowship and post-graduate training programs are typically in a specialized area of clinical practice, i.e., group or family practice. Training as a fellow or post-graduate may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. Practicum in a VA Setting.

A VHA practicum experience may not be substituted for experience, as the practicum (field placement) is completed prior to graduation with a master's degree in social work.

How you will be evaluated

Area of Consideration- Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1. Current, permanent VA employees of the facility (Station 655) 2. All other current, permanent VA employees at stations other than 655 3.

Current, permanent employees of other federal Agencies 4. All other applicants. Current or Former Health Profession Trainees (HPTs) are encouraged to apply.

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.

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. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes: 1.

Resume (must include the following information): Job Title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2024 to April 2025) Full-time or part-time (include hours worked per week) NOTE: 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.

Including any of this information may result in an ineligibility rating. 2. Transcript (must include the following information): Your Name Name of the college or university Full address of the college or university Degree Received Date Conferred REMINDER: A transcript, either official or unofficial, must be submitted with your application for ALL degrees.

A copy of your certificate/degree or screenshot of your current classes are not a replacement of your transcript and they will not be used in the qualifying process. 3. License (if applicable) (must include the following information): Name on License Issuing state Complete license number Expiration date

Documents you must provide

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Transcript SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if a VA or federal employee) - To verify your eligibility as a VA or federal employee, you must submit a copy of a recent Notification of Personnel Action (dated in the year 2026), Standard Form 50 (SF-50).
• You may obtain a copy of your SF-50 from your eOPF.
• Failure to provide this will exclude you from your claimed eligibility.
• 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 DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Other (1) Other (2) Other (3) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other federal agency employees.
• Also, this occupation is on the FY26 Annual Determination of Staffing Shortages, so Veterans Preference does not apply to US Citizens candidates at this time.

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.

VA Healthcare System advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest.

As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.

This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.