Senior Social Worker - Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC)

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

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part
• 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)
• 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
• GRADE REQUIREMENTS In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Senior Social Worker - GS-12: Experience: At least two (2) years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure - of which one (1) year of experience is equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment - demonstrating progressively more professional competency
• Education: Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship - or equivalent supervised professional experience
• Licensure
• Individuals assigned as social worker program coordinator MUST be licensed or certified at the Advanced Practice Level AND must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• (b) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• (c) Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes
• (d) Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• (e) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• Preferred Experience: Previous intensive case management and treatment services experience or Mental Health experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit Human Resources and Administration (HRA) Employee Resources Hub - VA Qualification Standards - Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: It is VA policy to ensure that all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically - mentally and emotionally fit to perform the duties of the position to which assigned
• A pre-placement physical examination is required for all full-time - part-time and intermittent employees identified by VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• The pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment to determine the physical and mental fitness for candidates for appointment in VA
• The examination will be concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and will include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies
• The work is primarily sedentary - but may require some walking - bending - stooping - standing - stretching and carrying objects
• The physical demands of the work requires use of fingers
• moderate walking and standing
• near vision correctable at 13"" to 16"" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• hearing aid permitted
• clear speech
• emotional stability
• moderate duty
• Driving Requirement and Current/Valid Driver's License Requirement: This position requires the incumbent to drive and utilize a government vehicle
• Additionally - the incumbent must possess or be able to obtain a current/valid Driver's License.
  
  

Duties

• Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) within the Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service Clinical Assessment & Care Management High-Risk Caseload Management: Independently assess - diagnose - and provide psychosocial treatment to a clinically complex caseload of veterans and their family members - prioritizing those deemed at high risk for suicide
• Enhanced Follow-Up Care: Track clinical appointments - review medical charts - and utilize evidence-based interventions to ensure patients on the facility tracking list receive continuous and timely clinical care
• Crisis Consultation: Conduct rapid clinical assessments - initiate consults on difficult cases within 24 business hours - and handle high-stress situations with distressed or uncooperative patients
• Resource Coordination: Implement the \"Mail Program\" and recommend specialized referrals (e.g. - Home Tele-health - ICMHR) to proactively address psychosocial and mental health needs
• Program Administration & Data Reporting Program Implementation & Revision: Oversee - evaluate - and establish localized policies and procedures to continually update and improve the facility's Suicide Prevention Program
• Data Analysis & Tracking: Utilize tracking tools like the Suicide Behavior Event template to collect - aggregate - and analyze data on suicide attempts to determine treatment effectiveness
• Complex Reporting: Compile and deliver comprehensive quality assurance reports to the VISN - NEPEC - and facility leadership under strict deadlines
• Flag Management: Maintain exclusive control and oversight over the Category II Patient Record Flag for suicide and high-risk tracking
• Training - Education & Community Outreach Staff & Community Education: Develop and conduct ongoing educational plans - including \"Operation S.A.V.E.\" or other gatekeeper training - for clinical staff - frontline non-clinical staff (clerks/operators) - veterans - families - and community groups
• Partnership Building: Build collaborative relationships with external organizations (VSOs - local crisis lines) and internal facility colleagues (Patient Safety Managers - Vet Centers) to enhance outreach and safety protocols
• Awareness Campaigns: Coordinate and execute displays - exhibits - and educational activities during Suicide Awareness Week in September
• Clinical Supervision & Mentorship Mentorship: Serve as a clinical mentor to entry-level Social Workers and provide clinical supervision for unlicensed social work staff and associates
• Field Instruction: Function as a field instructor/preceptor for graduate social work students - managing training plans - assessing performance - and collaborating with university field liaisons
• Interdisciplinary Teaching: Provide training on psychosocial treatments - substance abuse services - and care modalities to students - residents - interns - and fellows across multiple medical disciplines
• VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00AM - 4:30PM (Ad-hoc) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V8_EDRP_WPB@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Adhoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 24379F