Summary This position is located within the Social Work Service at the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-8. At the GS-7 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-8. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Interviews applicants to determine eligibility for HUD VASH and assess Veteran's housing preferences and needs; Provides services to support Veterans seeking permanent housing; Meets with HUD VASH social workers weekly to update them on the Veteran's progress towards housing; Establishes working relationships with the PHA entities and landlords in the community; Provides information to Veterans about the leasing process, application materials, and deadlines; Monitors community housing supply and demand to inform Veterans and homeless program staff of available units; Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved 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 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. ~AND~ Basic Requirement: The following are basic requirements for appointment as a Social Work Associate in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must meet. Basic Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in major fields of study such as: social welfare, sociology, psychology, public administration, philosophy, education, anthropology, history, economics and/or English. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) ~AND~ To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, applicants must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) year of experience as a social welfare worker or social work assistant in a voluntary, public, social, or health agency. Examples of qualifying experience include assisting with case management related tasks; working with a multi-disciplinary team; applying knowledge of community resources and local, State, and Federal benefits; and utilizing personal computers and software programs for communication, reports, and the maintenance of accurate statistics. NOTE: Qualifying experience must have been of a quality and scope to enable applicants to perform assignments typical of the grade level for which considered. For GS-7, applicants must have had 1 year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the next lower grade (i.e., GS-06) in the Federal service. (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) ~OR~ EDUCATION: You must have successfully completed one-full academic year of graduate level education with a major study in social sciences. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ COMBINATION: You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above may be used to meet total qualification requirements. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. To qualify at the GS-8 level, applicants must meet the following: Specialized Experience: Two (2) years of experience as a social welfare worker or social work assistant in a voluntary, public, social, or health agency. One (1) year of this experience must have been in a medical setting and equivalent to the next lower grade in Federal service. Specialized experience includes providing assistance and service support as prescribed by social workers in conjunction with patients' treatment plans; interviewing patients; handling referrals to social and health facilities; obtaining and compiling data; organizing mental health and medical treatment needs; and assisting with local, state or federal benefits and referrals for food, shelter, transportation, etc. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~AND~ SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: a current, valid state-issued Driver's License. (Note: We may not accept pictures. Please Do Not submit a copy of your license. This requirement will be verified if interviewed.) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Intervention Oral Communication Patient Care Psychology Teamwork IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: Activities involve walking, standing, bending, climbing stairs, and carrying light items. The Social Work Associate is expected to provide case management and supportive services, to include early interventions, in Veteran's homes and community settings. This position requires the operation of a government-owned vehicles in support of official VA duties, including transporting veterans, supplies, or staff as needed. The incumbent must possess and maintain a valid drivers license. Some light physical activity is necessary when organizing materials for landlord engagement events. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. There is no educational substitution at the GS-8 grade level. 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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.
