Social Worker, Mental Health

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program approval – award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

• 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.
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master’s of social work.
• Licensure:
  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 /T38
  
  Hybrid/.
• English Language Proficiency:
  Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• 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).
• Grandfathering Provision:
  The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards.
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation.
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title – series and grade held – including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
• For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard – but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it – the following provisions apply:
  Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification may be reassigned – promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level – or changed to lower grade within the occupation – but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed – on a temporary or permanent basis – until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation – who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation – the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
• NOTE:
  
  If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS‑0185 social work series – they lose the grandfathering protection.
• If they choose to return at a later date to the GS‑0185…