Senior Social Worker - Suicide Prevention Coordinator

Summary

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:

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9) - as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - enacted November 1 - 2000
• To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: 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 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
• Failure to Obtain License or Certification
• In all cases - social workers must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure or certification starting from the date of their appointment
• Failure to become licensed or certified within the prescribed amount of time will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• Grandfathering Provision
• The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• 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
• Senior Social Worker - GS 12 (1) Experience/Education
• The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• (2) 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
• (3) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs(a) (a) Skill in 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 deliver area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• (e) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) is a key frontline professional responsible for direct clinical services - care coordination - and proactive outreach activities aimed at preventing suicide among Veterans
• Clinical Services and Risk Assessment: Conduct thorough and specialized clinical assessments and risk evaluations for Veterans identified as high risk for suicide
• Develop and implement individualized safety plans and provide ongoing case management to ensure continuous support
• Provide immediate crisis intervention services - including assessments and appropriate therapeutic responses
• Respond to referrals from the Veterans Crisis Line - assessing risk and providing linkage to resources
• Care Coordination: Coordinate with primary care providers - mental health clinicians - and other members of the interdisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care for high-risk Veterans
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in the Veteran's care
• Outreach and Education: Conduct targeted outreach to Veterans identified as high risk for suicide to engage them in appropriate care and services
• Provide education and support to Veterans and their families on recognizing signs of suicidal ideation and accessing mental health resources
• Case Management: Maintain detailed - accurate - and timely documentation of all assessments - interventions - and follow-up activities in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS)
• Monitor the progress of high-risk Veterans - adjusting care plans as necessary to address evolving needs and risk factors
• Training and Consultation: Deliver training on suicide risk assessment and intervention strategies to clinical and nonclinical staff to enhance their competency in managing suicidal behavior
• Serve as a consultant to healthcare providers and facility staff on matters related to suicide prevention and risk management
• Community and Veteran Engagement: Engage with local community organizations - national organizations - and peers to support suicide prevention initiatives
• Participate in community outreach activities to improve mental health awareness and facilitate access to services for Veterans
• Process Improvement: Participate in and/or chair workgroups and committees focused on change and improvement in the program - service line - and medical center
• Serve as a member on standing committees that required Suicide Prevention representation
• Compliance and Reporting: Ensure compliance with all relevant VA policies - federal regulations - and Joint Commission standards related to suicide prevention
• Collect and manage data related to suicide prevention activities and outcomes - preparing regular reports for facility leadership and national VA offices
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8am - 4:30pm
• Work Schedule Subject to change based on agency needs
• 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 View email address on careers.biausa.org - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60814F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.