Career Center

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. 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. Learn more 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 Qualifications: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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). Grade Determination: GS-12 Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Experience/Education. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. References: VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39 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: Physical Demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary, although the stress involved in dealing continually with persons in emotional distress and who may be uncooperative and occasionally violent makes this work notably more demanding than most sedentary jobs." For additional information on Physical Standards please see VA Directive and Handbook 5019. http://www.va.gov/vapubs/ ["This announcement is open until filled. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring managers at least every 2 weeks. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized to highly qualified candidates\nEDRP Authorized: Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required In order to better serve the needs of veterans and assure that appropriate measures are being taken to prevent suicide in our patient population. The Suicide Behavior Coordinator (SBC) will serve to facilitate implementation of suicide prevention strategies at a local level. Activities will include support for the identification of veterans at high risk; collaborating with mental health providers in providing enhanced care when needed; education of providers, veterans, families, and members of the community on risk factors and warning signs for suicide, and treatment options. SBC has previous experience providing direct care to suicidal and/or mental health patients as well as experience providing patient/staff education. The SBC collaborates with mental health providers, acts as an advisor to the ACOS, Mental Health Service, facility leadership, program managers, and staff in the care of veterans at risk for suicide. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to: Tracking all suicide attempts and ensuring that information is entered and updated in Suicide Prevention Application Network (SPAN) data base. Maintaining a facility \"high risk\" list and managing patient record flags which identify veterans who have been deemed at-risk for suicide. Assessing patients at regular intervals by means of chart reviews and in collaboration with providers on continued need for suicide prevention services. Collecting and analyzing data from completed and attempted suicides to facilitate root cause analysis annually or as indicated. Advising mental health providers of veterans on the facility tracking list who will be followed closely by the appropriate provider. Providing education throughout the VASNHCS and in the community on risk factors, warning signs, suicide prevention services, Veteran's Crisis Line, and treatment options for at risk veterans. Disseminating, organizing, and where possible, conducting evidence-based and promising, emerging interventions. Maintaining awareness of suicide treatment options and making recommendations to the patient's provider when new options become available. On-going Gatekeeper Training program with non-clinical frontline staff such as clerks and telephone operators to assure that they are aware of options for patients with whom they come in contact during crisis situations. Working with community resources such as Veteran Service Organizations and other community groups to assure that they are aware of how to recognize veterans at risk for suicide and their options for getting these veterans assistance. Coordinating the conduct of regularly scheduled environmental scans on inpatient psychiatric units to identify elements of the architecture or care processes that may lead to suicide behavioral, and follow-up as needed. Psychosocial assessments and evaluation of environmental needs exacerbating the psychiatric problem. Provide crisis intervention, safety planning, case management. Provide short term, suicide risk management focused therapy. Conduct suicide prevention psychoeducation groups. Formulating treatment goals that address identified needs, stressors and problems. Serve as a point of contact for high risk veterans not otherwise engaged in care/treatment. Working collaboratively with treatment team members, attending treatment team meetings to provide recommendations for high risk veterans. Respond to consults entered into the MEDORA system from the Veteran's Crisis Line in a timely manner to assure timely access to care and follow-up for veterans in crisis. Providing consultation to providers, assessing the risk of suicide in individual patients in conjunction to the treating providers. Professional knowledge of the principles and theoretical concepts of social work as well as the administrative mechanisms appropriate to the assignment. Uses professional knowledge of principles and practices of clinical case management, discharge planning, medical services, managed care, utilization, review, resource allocation, organizational structure and function, and health care benefit/ financial system administration, to develop plans to solve patient, provider, and system problems, inefficiencies, or duplication. Travel within community to provide outreach. Must maintain a valid unrestricted driver's license. Other duties as assigned by management."]