Department of Veterans Affairs

Social Worker

Detroit, Michigan Full time

Social Worker

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Detroit, Michigan

Salary Range: $69025 - $108563 Per Year

Job Summary: The incumbent provides service for the Veterans Directed Care Program. The incumbent participates in a variety of activities including outreach, interdisciplinary activities, case mix assessments, treatment planning, consultation/education to Medical Center staff and community-based service providers and the supervision of students as assigned.

Major Duties:

  • Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent also provides support and appropriate interventions with Veterans for optimal functioning of Veterans in the community. Incumbent will be cross trained to provide back-up social work coverage to other community health programs as needed, in conjunction with the unit supervisor for the benefit of the veterans, family, and quality of services provided. The social worker is responsible for scheduling, organizing of home visits and completion of appropriate required reports, notes and follow-up to ensure program operation. A portion of the workload directed by this position will be carried out at one or more locations that are physically removed from the main campus under conditions that make day-to-day direct supervision difficult to administer. The incumbent conducts work activity independently using his/her educational training, clinical experience, VA policies, and TJC and other accreditation organization standards in administering direct services. The incumbent must have a current, valid, unrestricted driver's license and the ability to operate a GSA vehicle for home/oversight visits and outreach activities. The incumbent will also provide a program of outreach to identify and locate veterans in need of in home care. Outreach is to include communication and coordination with the VA Medical Center, other governmental and private community health and social service agencies. The Incumbent is responsible for clinical oversight of veterans enrolled to the VDC program. Home visits may will be made. The incumbent is responsible for resolving veteran/family/agency concerns related to VA provided care and will contact supervisor as needed for major issues. Incumbent will participate with the interdisciplinary treatment team for clinical assessment for program admission. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Ad hoc only based on supervisory discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 94253/94254 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. 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. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies up to the full performance level. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Regulations. Grade Determinations (GS-9), Entry LevelExperience, Education and Licensure. GS-9 is the entry level grade for the GS-185 social work series and is used for social workers with less than one year of post-MSW experience and for social workers who are not yet licensed or certified at the independent practice level. Social workers at the GS-9 level are working toward completion of prerequisites for licensure or certification. Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-9 social workers are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised, as they are not yet functioning at the independent practice level conferred by independent licensure or certification. Social workers at the GS-9 entry level are typically assigned to VHA program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Since these social workers are not practicing at an independent level, they should not be assigned to program areas where independent practice is required, such as in a CBOC, unless there is a licensed social worker in the program area who can provide supervision for practice. GS-9 social workers provide psychosocial services in the assigned area under supervision. Grade Determinations (GS-11, Full Performance LevelExperience, Education and Licensure. GS-11 full performance level requires completion of a minimum of I year of post-MSW degree experience in the field of health care social work (VA or non-VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR, In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required 1 year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Assignments. This is the full performance level for social workers. GS-11 social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work. They are assigned to all program areas, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics. Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned 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-11.The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11 Physical Requirements: Sedentary and ambulation (walking) throughout the medical center and in the community according to the demands of daily tasks. Light carrying, less than 15 pounds-may be required as part of duties related to storing or moving files. Working around moving objects or vehicles required as part of daily ambulating within the medical center around patients who use motorized scooters and wheelchairs. Working alone duties require working alone at intervals during the day (i.e., documenting progress notes, completing phone calls, etc). Reaching above shoulder- may be required during daily task to access files located in overhead cabinets. Walking-required approximately 3-4 hours daily associated with walking from assigned office to outpatient clinics and other medical center departments as needed to complete duties of the position. Standing-required approximately 3-4 hours daily associated with walking from assigned office to outpatient clinical and other departments withing the medical center as needed to complete duties of the positions and filling patient records as needed. Valid driver's license required.

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 01/07/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12858505. 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.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-07