Social Services Assistant

We're Looking for a skilled Social Services Assistant in the Veterans Health Administration based in Huntington, West Virginia. Read through the job description to see if it matches your current experience.

The Successful Applicant

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 11/20/2023. TimeInGrade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet timeingrade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS5. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF50 that shows your timeingrade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF50 has an effective date within the past year it may not clearly demonstrate you possess oneyear timeingrade as required by the announcement. In this instance you must provide an additional SF50 that clearly demonstrates oneyear timeingrade. Note: TimeInGrade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. This Social Services Aid and Assistant Series 0186 has individual occupational requirements as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience (for positions at GS4 and above) Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs. Counselor in a youth summer camp. Instructor in a training program for the development of job skills. Work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew. Group activities leader in the Armed Services. Unit leadermonitorproctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government) employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution social service or manpower development. Aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private public welfare government program or community organizations or in voluntary activities. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. OR Education and Training For GS5: Successful completion of a full 4year course of study leading to a bachelors degree that (a) included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of subjects directly related to the work of the position (b) included a major in social behavior human behavior or health care or (c) was supplemented by specialized experience as described above for GS4. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirements you must also qualify based on the below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: knowledge of available health and wellbeing programs or resources for Veterans knowledge of eligibility enrollment income assessment and insurance for Veterans medical care knowledge of VA inpatient and outpatient programs and operations telehealth patient services effective oral and written communication OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed at least onehalf year of graduate level education (9 semester hours above a Bachelors degree) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The position involves work that is mainly sedentary but requires some bending walking standing and lifting/carrying (under 15lb) of supplies patient records staff and patient mail. Some assignments may involve more frequent walking but these assignments may involve more frequent walking but these assignments require no unusual physical demands to perform work. The incumbent will need to have the ability to verbally communicate and hear (aid permitted) using a telephone and must be able to type and operate computer equipment as an essential part of their position. The incumbent must be able to work closely with internal and external customers in a face to face setting. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a Office setting adequately lighted temperature controlled and ventilated. Office temperatures fluctuate periodically involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics offices meeting and training rooms or libraries exposure to noise and dust on occasion. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium dementia or psychiatric disorders Emotional and Mental Stability: The incumbent must be a mature flexible sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations able to shift priorities based on patient needs. For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at http://://www.opm.gov/policydataoversight/classificationqualifications/generalschedulequalificationstandards/.

What’s on Offer

The role offers excellent opportunities for top performers to further develop their competencies as a social worker and improving the lives of people.