Summary 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. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Senior Social Worker in VA Augusta provides expert mental health services within primary care, conducting assessments, brief interventions, and crisis management. They collaborate with teams, coordinate care, and support Veterans' access to services, ensuring compliance with policies, privacy, and safety standards. The role emphasizes independence, professional development, and culturally sensitive, age-appropriate care. Duties include, however, not limited to: Conducts independent diagnostic, psychosocial, and behavioral health assessments to identify Veteran needs and guide treatment planning. Provides brief, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions to support behavioral medicine and mental health concerns in primary care or specialty settings. Delivers consultation and guidance to interdisciplinary providers, supporting clinical decision-making, care coordination, and Veteran engagement. Coordinates care across primary care, mental health, social work, community programs, and specialty services, ensuring timely referrals, follow-up, and smooth transitions of care. Develops, implements, and updates treatment plans, clinical documentation, and program-related operational procedures consistent with VA standards and performance measures. Performs crisis intervention, including suicide risk assessment, stabilization, safety planning, and determining urgent escalation needs. [ Participates in program development, evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives, contributing to data-driven enhancements in service delivery. Provides education and resource navigation for Veterans and families, helping them access VA and community supports and reduce barriers to care. Collaborates in team meetings, interdisciplinary case reviews, and coordinated care planning, promoting Veteran-centered integrated services. Maintains compliance with documentation, privacy standards, VA policies, and regulatory requirements, ensuring quality and safety in clinical practice. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm 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 Lakita Bush @ lakita.bush@va.gov, 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). 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. 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 #: 62753F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 evaluation/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. 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Master's degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program. Doctoral degree cannot substitute for the MSW. Schools in "candidacy status" do not qualify until fully accredited. Grandfathering Provision: Employees who met qualifications when appointed are considered qualified for current grade and series. Those grandfathered may not be promoted above journey level or hold supervisory roles unless fully meeting current qualifications. Loss of grandfathered status occurs if leaving the occupation. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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: Experience/Education Must have at least two years of post-licensure experience at the advanced practice level. At least one year equivalent to the GS-11 level, demonstrating advanced practice skills, clinical judgment, and expertise in a specialized area. May possess post-master's certification or advanced training from a nationally recognized organization or university. Licensure Must be licensed at the advanced practice level, requiring an advanced generalist or clinical exam (state-specific variations apply; California administers its own clinical exam). Must be able to provide clinical supervision for licensure. Demonstrated KSAs Candidates must demonstrate: Skill in specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in complex or specialty programs. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment. Knowledge in designing and implementing methods to evaluate specialty practice effectiveness. Ability to provide advanced consultation and role-model effective practice. Ability to expand clinical knowledge and develop policies, procedures, and practice guidelines. Preferred Experience: Prefer experience working in interdisciplinary teams, brief evidence-based interventions, and brief/focused assessments. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12. Physical Requirements: Must meet standards in VA Directive/Handbook 5019. 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 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.
