Senior Social Worker- Health Care for Homeless Veterans
Social Worker
Summary
James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital is looking for Senior Social Worker - Homeless Section who will report to Social Work Services within Homeless Veterans Program. This position is located at Tampa VA Medical Center.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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The Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Grant Per Diem Liaison duties include, but are not limited to:
The Senior Social Worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management. This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation.
Adhere to Service Line Agreements, (SLA) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for documentation. Adhere to approved templates and required standards for documentation as outlined by accrediting bodies such as Joint Commission, CARF, and/or revenue sources providing funding to VHA.
Provide documentation sufficient to meet the needs of various interdisciplinary teams engaged in the discharge planning process both within the facility and for potential placement and/or aftercare programs/facilities.
Adhere to SLA, SOP, and directives for clinical contact with patients, families, and collateral providers over the course of treatment, which includes pre-admission, program participation, and post discharge follow up.
Provide individualize care coordination and discharge planning highlighting patients strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences within patient interaction, Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) meetings, along with family and collateral contacts.
Advise supervisor and IDT on identified treatment goals, priorities, and disposition options and progress.
Ensuring patients have access to care via completion of required documents, 1010s, Advanced Directive, and other forms that assist with access to care within the VA or the community
The incumbent will participate in survey accreditation(s) ensuring standards are adhered to within their social work practice, unit/service and at the facility level as well (i.e. infection control and safety).
The incumbent will participate in continuous survey readiness through ensuring reports, Pl projects, and other documentation required for accreditation are current and up to date.
The incumbent will participate in all assigned supervisory meetings to include individual, team huddles, and will participate in, both social work and matrix, staff meetings.
The incumbent will participate on all assigned committees, work groups within or external to the facility. Supervisory approval is required prior to working with a committee within or external to the facility. (See business compliance regarding non-VHA committee participation).
The incumbent will participate in coverage for social work services on the assigned unit/service, and when needed for other social work teams inpatient and outpatient as needed.
The incumbent will maintain a social work license.
For positions that require use of a government vehicle the incumbent must have and maintain a valid driver's license and pass Occupational Health screening.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Preferred Experience:
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
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)
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 #: #72257F
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
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:
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
While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position:
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patients, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the Social Worker or others. Ability to drive a government car.
Education
Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work.
Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
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-qualification….
Additional information
This occupation is listed on the OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration's Occupational Staffing Shortages fiscal year (FY) 2026 dated September 25, 2025. Therefore, this vacancy announcement is exempt from Veterans Preference.
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.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
Help
Review our benefits
James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital is looking for Senior Social Worker - Homeless Section who will report to Social Work Services within Homeless Veterans Program. This position is located at Tampa VA Medical Center.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
Help
The Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Grant Per Diem Liaison duties include, but are not limited to:
The Senior Social Worker provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff. They serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor, Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services. This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management. This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation.
Adhere to Service Line Agreements, (SLA) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for documentation. Adhere to approved templates and required standards for documentation as outlined by accrediting bodies such as Joint Commission, CARF, and/or revenue sources providing funding to VHA.
Provide documentation sufficient to meet the needs of various interdisciplinary teams engaged in the discharge planning process both within the facility and for potential placement and/or aftercare programs/facilities.
Adhere to SLA, SOP, and directives for clinical contact with patients, families, and collateral providers over the course of treatment, which includes pre-admission, program participation, and post discharge follow up.
Provide individualize care coordination and discharge planning highlighting patients strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences within patient interaction, Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) meetings, along with family and collateral contacts.
Advise supervisor and IDT on identified treatment goals, priorities, and disposition options and progress.
Ensuring patients have access to care via completion of required documents, 1010s, Advanced Directive, and other forms that assist with access to care within the VA or the community
The incumbent will participate in survey accreditation(s) ensuring standards are adhered to within their social work practice, unit/service and at the facility level as well (i.e. infection control and safety).
The incumbent will participate in continuous survey readiness through ensuring reports, Pl projects, and other documentation required for accreditation are current and up to date.
The incumbent will participate in all assigned supervisory meetings to include individual, team huddles, and will participate in, both social work and matrix, staff meetings.
The incumbent will participate on all assigned committees, work groups within or external to the facility. Supervisory approval is required prior to working with a committee within or external to the facility. (See business compliance regarding non-VHA committee participation).
The incumbent will participate in coverage for social work services on the assigned unit/service, and when needed for other social work teams inpatient and outpatient as needed.
The incumbent will maintain a social work license.
For positions that require use of a government vehicle the incumbent must have and maintain a valid driver's license and pass Occupational Health screening.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Preferred Experience:
- Selective Placement Factor
- Quality Ranking Factor
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
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)
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 #: #72257F
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
- U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- 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.
- 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 examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- 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
While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position:
- Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management.
- Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice.
- Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
- Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills.
- Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers; moderate walking and standing; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; hearing aid permitted; clear speech; emotional stability; moderate duty. Social Worker must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patients, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation, if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the Social Worker or others. Ability to drive a government car.
Education
Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may NOT be substituted for the master's degree in social work.
Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.
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-qualification….
Additional information
This occupation is listed on the OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration's Occupational Staffing Shortages fiscal year (FY) 2026 dated September 25, 2025. Therefore, this vacancy announcement is exempt from Veterans Preference.
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.
Expand Hide additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
Help
Review our benefits