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. 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. 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. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Experience and 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. Licensure/Certification. 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, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Program coordinators at the GS-12 grade level are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a major specialty area, such as but not limited to: Spinal Cord Injury, Homeless Continuum Veteran Program, Hospice and Palliative Care Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing Home Program. The program coordinator oversees the daily operation of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They may be responsible for the program's budget, developing and monitoring staff compliance with practice, standards and guidelines on documentation, workload, data entry, ethical practice and service delivery. The program coordinator provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service. They may be responsible for, or contribute to, the program's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds. The program coordinator is administratively responsible for the clinical programming and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned staff. They initiate and conduct a variety of program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity assessments. They oversee program operations and evaluations, identifying areas for improvement, gathering relevant data, assessing the data, developing and implementing ideas for improvement and evaluating efficacy of improvement efforts.] References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part II Appendix G39, Dated September 10, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, sitting, talking, driving, use of the telephone, etc. Light lifting, under 15 pounds, Light carrying, under 15 pounds, Hearing (aid permitted). ["Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact susan.bringel@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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. The SBC acts as part of the Suicide Prevention team to meet local and national goals of the Suicide Prevention Program. This is accomplished through: 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. For example, these may include: Maintaining mail cntact with past and present high risk veterans. Making recmmendations for referral of repeat attempters to a Home Tele[1]health prgram using the Depression or PTSD dialogues, as appropriate 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 Sierra Nevada Health Care System Social Worker (Suicide Behavior Coordinator) GS-0185-12 Revised 12/2020 2 FS# 40192-A 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. Providing clinical services which include: 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. Negotiate, procure, and advocate to effectively match the returning combat veteran with the right services and incorporate, risk management, state laws, current trends in disease prevention, and epidemiological/population-based resourcing in performance of daily job functions. Thorough knowledge of VHA and VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) strategic mission, goals, and directives."]

Return to Search Results