Summary This position is located in the Behavioral Health Care Line in the Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (DRRTP) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Medical Center, in Bath, NY. The primary purpose of the Social Services Associate is to facilitate Veteran entry into DRRTP program, or referral to community agencies, so professional staff can triage their unique behavior, medical, substance abuse, PTSD, or homelessness needs. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Major duties and responsibilities will include: Manages and tracks the entire intake screening process and manages a database of information pertinent to the screening process. Receives and tracks all screening consultations until they are completed Tracks and ensures intake screening appointments are scheduled through the centralized scheduling department and admissions are scheduled and prioritized based on patient needs. Receives and assembles all screening packets and ensures all required information is obtained. Provides follow up to patients regarding status of screening committee decisions, if approved utilizes internal systems to coordinate admission. Manages day-to-day of patient's requests Serves as the intake point of contact and provides case management to individuals, families, and internal and external referring agencies Explores needs of care for patients Provides consultation and education to patients, their families and referring agencies Serves as the primary point of contact for all referrals and inquiries during the screening process. Evaluates referral information and asks clarifying questions Documents all interactions and counselors in the internal systems and databases Provides telephone and written follow up to patients who no-show screening or admission appointments, or who are deferred due to pending requirements. Triages the needs of patents and suggests and refers to alternative resources if appropriate Connecting patients with appropriate resources and guides to meet all patient needs. Provides para-professional counseling to patients Maintains regular contact with patients awaiting placement and provides non-professional counseling and guidance. Collects required intake data used to determine eligibility for services Research and provides direction in assessing resources which may be available to assist with transportation Perform other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; Full - Time, 7:30am-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 To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications 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: Requires a certification in basic CPR and AED ~AND~ To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, you must meet one of the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is: experience in a program of direct social welfare services that required the application of program policy and operations knowledge in providing social welfare services and/or assisting social workers. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Graduate Education: Major study -- social sciences. One full academic year of graduate study is qualifying for GS-7. Graduate education is not creditable for positions above the GS-7 level. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above. Note: only education in excess of the first 30 semester hours of a course of study leading to a graduate level degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) 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/. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
