Clarification from the agency

The Public

Videos

The incumbent is responsible for interpreting policies, directives, regulations, guidelines, information letters, etc., from VA Central Office (VACO), VISN and local facility leadership in order to assure adherence by the Suicide Prevention Program; developing and maintaining patient care policies and procedures for each program component, specifying program operations and community relations, completing periodic reviews and revisions to such materials as necessary, and consulting with managers and colleagues when developing knowledge and applying agency policies and practices to new and/or complex matters.

The Suicide Prevention Coordinator provides public relations and community education regarding the VA, the Suicide Prevention Program and suicide prevention in general, to various social services, medical, mental health, legal, housing and welfare organizations. These organizations include Federal, State, County and City government offices, as well as private non-profit and for-profit businesses and agencies. The incumbent represents the VA and the Community Based Care service line at meetings with community partners and other agencies and collaborates with these officials to form partnerships and develop alternatives and improvements to the current system of service delivery.

Major duties include, but may not be limited to:

• 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), Vets Prevail, Veterans Benefit Administration, 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 education and training through outreach to these community partners, which may be scheduled in person in any of the 13 counties that would require travel time during or after SPCs tour of duty.
• Providing consultation to providers on available resources for suicidal individuals, as well as expertise and direction in the areas of system design to prevent deaths by suicide.
• Working with 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 OMHSP on Veterans who attempted or died by suicide and sending OMHSP requested data, which is used to determine characteristics and risks associated with these groups of Veterans (i.e. Issue Brief, BHAP, FITC).
• 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),
• Maintaining awareness of suicide prevention treatment options and making recommendations to the patient's provider when new best practices become available.
• Providing education and ensuring providers complete Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluations, Suicide Behavior and Overdose Reports, Suicide Prevention Safety Plans, and all other required documentation. Providing training to clinical and non-clinical staff in the Medical Center, CBOCs, and community about risk factors, warning signs, treatment options and resources while promoting the use of evidence-based practices and strategies for suicide prevention.
• Participating in local Suicide Postvention Program and Root Cause Analyses when required. Coordinating with Quality and Patient Safety Office when necessary
• Responsible for developing and maintaining of professional standards of service, coordination of suicide prevention services with other programs; representing the suicide prevention program in contacts with the community.
• Recording appropriate information in Veterans' EHR.
• Completing program required caring contacts and mail program.
• Functioning with a high degree of independent judgment

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Compressed schedule may be offered after training and is based on seniority in the team.
Telework: Authorized
Travel: 0- 2x a month
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Social Worker, Program Coordinator - Suicide Prevention / 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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:

• 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/.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

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 Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12

Experience and Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level (Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services; Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds; Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan; Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals; Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment).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, the candidate 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.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, 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: Lifting and carrying light objects under 15 pounds using two hands is required. Walking up to two hours is required. Incumbent will also need to have the ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination, correctable vision, hearing with or without aid, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and emotional and mental stability.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.