Senior Social Worker Clinical Assessor

About this role

James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital is looking for a Social Worker Clinical Assessor who will be assigned to the Caregiver Support Program (CSP). The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) is a rapidly expanding program. The mission of the Caregiver Support Program is to promote the health and well-being of family caregivers who care for our nation's Veterans, through education, resources, support, and services.

Duties The Social Worker (Clinical Assessor) requires advanced knowledge and understanding of the services and benefits available for Veterans and caregivers from both federal, state and private sector resources. As an independently licensed clinical social worker, the Clinical Assessor will be assigned to work independently with multiple VA healthcare services and with community agencies, leaders and organizations with no access to direct clinical supervision. The GS-12 Caregiver Support Program Social Worker (Clinical Assessor) is expected to practice at the independent level. Additional duties include, but are not limited to; The Senior Social Worker (Clinical Assessor) is assigned to the Caregiver Support Program. This position is primarily responsible for assessing a Veteran's functional needs, including the need for personal care services using standardized assessments--which will assist the Centralized Eligibility and Appeal Teams (CEAT) in determining eligibility. The incumbent will assess Veterans needs for personal care services, particularly Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), supervision, protection or instruction, working closely with the Caregiver Support Program Coordinator(s) and/or designee(s), to complete Veteran functional assessments and re-assessments. The incumbent will also assist other program staff in providing clinical services, completing notes and gathering/monitoring data related to the day-to-day functioning and evaluation of the program. The Clinical Assessor will conduct initial home care assessments as part of the application or reassessment process for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. The purpose of these home visits are to assess for functional and mobility needs and safety as well as to assess need for personal care services using standardized assessments--which will assist the Centralized Eligibility and Appeal Teams (CEAT) in determining eligibility. The incumbent will conduct Veteran Functional Assessment Instrument (VFAI) at the facility or through clinical video telehealth and home care assessments (HCA) in the home, with Veterans and Caregivers. The clinical assessor will be assigned a case load, in which they will be responsible for conducting quarterly wellness visits, via in the home and/or clinical video telehealth. The incumbent is responsible for developing and establishing linkages and collaborate on VA caregiver support efforts with community healthcare and social service agencies. The Clinical Assessor assists in the day-to-day operations of the Caregiver Support Program specific to his/her area of assignment and ensures compliance and collaboration with local facility and the VA Central Office Caregiver Support Program initiatives. The Clinical Assessor participates in face-to-face or virtual contact with the caregiver and Veteran to assess function and the need for personal care services, and as needed, the development and application of directed clinical treatment interventions. The Clinical Assessor will utilize and assist in maintaining a data monitoring system to measure the efficacy of the program and assists in collecting and analyzing local data for reports for: local management, VISN Caregiver Support Program Leads, Centralized Eligibility and Appeal Teams, the National Caregiver Support Program, Care Management and Social Work and Office of Patient Care Services. Evaluates program progress and outcomes and utilizes data to continuously modify and improve the program, processes, and use of a standardized assessment instrument. The Clinical Assessor will collaborate with the VA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), mental health, and geriatric primary care clinicians to provide Veteran and staff education on caregiver issues and to obtain input on Veteran's functional needs. Coordination will include chart review, case consultation, in-person, phone or electronic communication, and training of patient aligned care team clinical social work staff. The Clinical Assessor uses sound judgment in the interpretation of trends and patterns; the application of guidelines; and the recommendation of program enhancements. Incumbent may be assigned specific program duties and responsibilities based on program clinical and administrative needs as determined by Caregiver Support Program Manager or supervisor. Duties may change based on program and workload needs and processes. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 07:30 AM to 4:00 PM Compressed/Flexible: As needed by department Telework: Not Available Travel: Up to 75% may be required. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications 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. 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. 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. Note: 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. Licensed: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Applicants with Florida LCSW, to qualify for APL Qualified Supervision Delegation, QSCSW must be on licensure. For additional information, please refer to Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling » Qualified Supervisor- Licensing, Renewals & Information. Applicants with Puerto Rico LSW must be an active member of the College of Social Work Professionals of Puerto Rico (CPTSPR) and must provide CPTSPR active membership certification. For additional information, please visit Membership - CPTSPR Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Experience: The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment and are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Licensure: Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher- level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Program coordinators at the GS-12 grade level are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a major specialty area, such as but not limited to: Spinal Cord Injury, Homeless Continuum Veteran Program, Hospice and Palliative Care Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing Home Program. The program coordinator may be the sole practitioner in this specialty at the facility and typically provide direct patient care services in the program area. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Preferred Experience and Certifications Full independent licensure at the advanced practice level At least two years should be in an area of specialized social work practice. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

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-qualifications/.

Requirements NOTE: Prior to accepting a final employment offer, all selected applicants will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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 examination and maintain CDT physical readiness. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Must be able to meet physical demands which include strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distances over difficult terrain, running, climbing, working long hours in primitive or arduous conditions, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. 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-year 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.

Required documents To apply for this position, you must submit a C.V. and/or resume. Other documents may be requested later in the process if needed. Resume - To determine your eligibility, please ensure resume includes the below: Job title Grade Level (for Federal positions) Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status Include hours worked per week Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field. Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field. 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. License (License and Registry Certificate - if applicable) Transcript - with Degree Conferred and GPA SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action - If you are a current or former VA or Federal Employee, you must submit a copy of a current and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (Not an award SF50) Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

How to apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/14/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13066628. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Additional information 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.