Career Center

The Social Services Assistant (Whole Health Partner) connects with Veterans and supports their journey through the Whole Health System. Connects Veterans to the best options to support their health and well-being. The position has knowledge of internal & external resources; performs a wide-range of tasks to assist Veterans and peers of all ages. This position functions as an interdisciplinary team member. This position is full-time working 40 hour weeks. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/03/2022. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade 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. Office of Personnel Management, Individual Occupational Requirement for Social Services Aid and Assistant Series, 0186 is being utilized for this posting. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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 leader-monitor-proctor 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationEducation and TrainingVeteran and Customer Focus Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Typically, the employee sits to do the work. There may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items (such as books, papers), and accessing transportation. The work may require occasional use of Department of Veteran's Affairs approved behavioral management techniques with Veterans who present a danger to self or others. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. ["Provides information & advocates for Veterans' personal health goals/plan; Partner with Veterans in completing a Personal Health Inventory; Explores aspects of Personal Health Plan in group &/or individual settings; Orient Veterans to the Whole Health Program; Assists Veterans in exploring core elements of personal health planning; Assists Veterans with self-assessments; Assists Veterans with one-to-one or group sessions as part of the exploration of personal health planning; Assist Veterans in identifying their skills, strengths, supports, and resources needed to aid them in achieving health aspirations; Acts as Veterans' point-of-contact with regard to navigating through the Whole Health program; Assists Veterans in exploring options regarding participation in individual or group programs; Facilitates group programs aimed at exploration of components of health and well-being; Informs Veterans about community & mutual supports and how they're used with regard to the Whole Health program; Has knowledge of pertinent laws, as well as VA regulations policies and precedents and Has knowledge of VA rules and regulations regarding eligibility, enrollment, income assessment, and insurance benefits. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\nCompressed/Flexible: Not Applicable\nTelework: Not Applicable\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Description/PD#: Social Services Assistant/PD402-03250-0\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required\nNOTIFICATIONS: This is a Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Travel and relocation expenses are not authorized. Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment."]