Social Worker (Suicide Prevention Coordinator)

Suicide Prevention Coordinator

The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) facilitates implementation of suicide prevention strategies at the local level through education, monitoring, and coordination of treatment. They coordinate the care for veterans who are at an elevated risk of suicide. They function as an advisor to the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health, other facility leadership, staff concerning suicide prevention strategies at the individual patient level & for the facility, and the veteran community as a whole. The position is located at Balcones Height VA Clinic.

The Suicide Prevention Coordinator is responsible for:

• Maintaining a list of patients determined to be currently high-risk for suicide and monitoring their care to assure needed services are being received.
• Consulting/collaborating with providers regarding their delivery of care to high-risk veterans. Providing education and facilitating best practice. Will provide direct patient care for same purpose. Provides training to clinical and non-clinical staff throughout STVHCS community regarding risk factors, warning signs, treatment options, and resources. Promotes the use of evidence-based interventions and strategies for suicide prevention.
• Responding timely to referrals from the Veteran Crisis Line to include making contact with veterans callers to engage them in treatment; reports back to the Crisis Line about the results of interventions. Collaborates with providers to support completion of SBORs, Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations, and consults for consideration of activation of high-risk flag as appropriate.
• Incumbent completes SBORs, Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations, and consults for consideration of activation of high-risk flag as appropriate.
• Ensuring implementation of Category 1 Flags per Central office Directives.
• Acting as liaison and trainer to community organizations and veterans organizations.
• Assuring that all veterans on the facility tracking list are being followed closely by the appropriate provider on a regular basis as determined by the Tracking any no-show appointments by these patients and following up with the patient as soon as possible to reschedule the appointment.
• Maintaining awareness of suicide treatment options and making recommendations to the patient's provider when new options become available.
• Obtaining any relevant HIPM clearances to allow transmittal of facility data on suicide attempts and individuals at risk to other offices for research, analysis, and quality assurance purposes; and transmitting the data following cyber security requirements as applicable for this sensitive data.
• Providing suicide prevention training to Veterans, staff and community members.
• Compiling data, completing required Local, VISN and National reports, developing plans to facilitate meeting required performance measures (SAIL, Director's Performance etc.).
• Working across service-lines to facilitate compliance with VHA directives and initiatives related to Suicide Prevention.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 0800AM-430PM

Telework: AD HOC only, as determined by Agency policy.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 54104-f

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

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)