Social Work Jobs

VA Clinical Social Work: My Employer of Choice

How to apply for a Social Work position in the Department of Veterans Affairs

Applicants may contact the Human Resource Management Office at the facility where they desire employment for information about local opportunities and application procedures. Contact numbers and facility locator can be found on the VA Facility page.
Applicants can also search the internet at * www.usajobs.opm.gov. Additional information regarding Social Work Careers and thier mission can be found in the following brochure.

Clinical Social Workers

Social workers utilize case management, individual, group work and other major treatment modalities in helping Veterans and their families/caregivers handle the social, emotional, environmental, cultural, and economic pressures influencing continuity of  family/community life during periods of illness and stress. The VA Social Worker participates with other professional disciplines in synthesizing and maximizing rehabilitation goals.

VA Social Workers Program Involvement

• Health Care For Homeless Veterans
• Domiciliary Care
• Physical & Rehabilitation Services
• Geriatrics & Extended Care
• Substance Abuse
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Primary Care
• Mental Health
• Medical/Surgical
• Home-Based Primary Care
• Homemaker/Home Health Aide
• Community Nursing Home
• Community Residential Care
• Community Support/Mental Health Intensive Case Management
• Community re-entry (for incarcerated Veterans)
• Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Treatment
• Day Treatment Centers
• Visually Impaired Service Team
• Women’s Health

VA Social Worker Career Benefits

• Generous Leave and Holidays
• Health, Life, and Long Term Care insurance plans
• Excellent Retirement Plan
• Mobility Opportunities
• Continuing Social Work education opportunities

Additional Benefits From VA Employment

• Child care services at some facilities
• Family Friendly Work place
• Employee Health Employee Wellness Program
• Employee Associations
• On-site Dining Facilities and Retail Stores
• On-site Credit Union
• Smoke free work place

Career Opportunities

• Research
• Social Work Field Instruction
• Relationships with local School of Social Work Graduate Education Programs
• Partnerships with Community Agencies

Empoyee Diversity and Special Emphasis Programs

• Asian American and Pacific Islanders
• African American
• Hispanic
• Native American
• People with Disabilities
• Federal Women

Succession Planning Opportunities

• Social Work and VHA Mentoring Program
• Opportunities for membership on National Social Work Committees
• Opportunities for Career Advancement Nationwide
• Leadership Training Programs

Opportunities for Graduate Level Field Placements

The Veterans Administration is affiliated with over 180 Graduate Schools of Social Work, and operates the largest and most comprehensive clinical training program for social work students – training approximately 900 students per year.
As a leader in this area, VA has a major impact on health care social work curriculum, establishing and applying standards for social work clinical practice, and expanding the roles and functions of the clinical social worker in interdisciplinary team practicing health care service delivery.

The Learner's Perception Survey measured trainee perceptions of their clinical training experience in VA medical centers.  Here is a synopsis of the results of the survey of social work trainees.

*Disclaimer: Links will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.