Social Worker (Program Coordinator) - Suicide Prevention

Summary Suicide Prevention Coordinators are clinically trained and dedicated full‑time to Suicide Prevention Program implementation at the VA medical facility and provide outreach and education to the surrounding communities. The position is responsible for facilitating the implementation of suicide prevention program (SPP) using public health approaches at a local level through education, outreach, monitoring, care and coordination of activities related to suicide prevention. Qualifications United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (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. 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 4 accreditation standards for a master of social work. 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to Grade Determinations: 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. Applicants must meet the requirements for providing supervision in the state where they are licensed at the advanced practice level and should list these qualifications within the assessment narrative and their resume. Documentation is required if part of your state’s requirements for providing supervision for licensure is beyond your licensure only (example: certification of continuing education credits). Demonstrated Knowledge – Skills – and Abilities: In addition to the experience above – the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (submission of a document with written demonstration of KSAs is highly recommended with application). 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. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre‑employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre‑employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Duties Major duties include but are not limited to the following: The incumbent provides clinical and administrative consultation to VA health care leadership, VA medical center–based committees and all staff regarding suicide prevention. Using the established chain of command, the incumbent reports any barriers to suicide prevention in the VA medical facility – including patterns of non‑adherence to requirements or SOPs. Toward these ends, the incumbent is responsible for tracking and reporting on Veterans who have attempted suicide or are at high risk for suicide. Responding to referrals from the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) and self‑referrals from other sources. Ensuring that all VA staff members have received discipline‑appropriate suicide prevention training (VA S.A.V.E training or equivalent). Collaborating with community organizations and partners to increase awareness of suicide prevention best practices and providing training to individuals who have contact with Veterans. Providing subject‑matter consultation to healthcare providers on available resources for suicidal individuals – as well as expertise and direction in the areas of system design to prevent deaths by suicide within their local VA medical centers. Working with health care providers to ensure that monitoring and treatment is intensified for high‑risk patients while making sure that those who are at elevated risk receive education and support about approaches to reduce risks. Reporting to the Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) on Veterans who attempted or died by suicide and sending OSP‑requested data – which is used to determine characteristics and risks associated with these groups of Veterans. Making sure that providers follow up on missed appointments to ensure patient safety for high‑risk patients and initiate problem‑solving decisions about possible tensions or difficulties in patients' ongoing care. Ensuring that medical centers have established a High‑Risk for Suicide List (HRSL) of Veterans and a process for establishing Patient Record Flag Category 1 – High Risk for Suicide (HRS‑PRFs) – which includes exclusively controlling all HRS‑PRFs and limiting their use to patients who meet the criteria for being placed on the facility HRSL. Coordinating with facility committees that manage PRFs to incorporate the use of HRS‑PRFs into overall facility flag processes. Assessing the risk for suicide in individual patients in collaboration with their treating clinicians and ensuring that those patients receive appropriate follow‑up care for any missed mental health appointments. Establishing a system of reviewing HRS‑PRFs at least every 90 days. Documenting – when appropriate – the nature of the follow‑up care and plans for continuing treatment in the electronic health record (EHR). Identifying training needs related to suicide prevention. Maintaining communication with the facility‑designated advisory groups to keep them aware of flag placements and review outcomes. Implementing facility suicide prevention strategies in accordance with VHA policies and clinical practice guidelines. Using available online tools, training materials and resources to enhance the care provided to Veterans and raise awareness among community stakeholders. Obtaining any relevant Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) clearances to allow transmittal of medical center data on suicide attempts and individuals at risk to the VA Midwest Health Care Network (VISN 23) for trending quality assurance purposes. Transmitting the data following cyber security requirements as applicable for this sensitive data. Benefits Total Rewards of an Allied Health Professional: Work Schedule – Monday‑Friday 7:30 am‑4:00 pm. Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. Paid Time Off: 37‑50 days of annual paid time per year (13‑26 days of annual leave – 13 days of sick leave – 11 paid Federal holidays per year). 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 401(k) with up to 5% contributions by VA. Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life and long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). Telework: Ad‑hoc Virtual – this is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs