Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Applicants will be referred in the following order: First - Current Permanent Federal Employees Other Agencies; Second- All other qualified applicants.

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Supervises the tracking and monitoring of no-show appointments by patients and ensures follow-up with the patient as soon as possible to reschedule the appointment.
• Takes the lead in suicide prevention program development with Behavioral Health Service and Facility Leadership, in coordination with VACO and VISN 20. As the facility subject matter expert, is the primary point of contact and leads out on all matters pertaining to suicide prevention for Boise VAMC executive leadership, the Tetrad, VISN 20 MH leasers and Office of Mental Health & Suicide Prevention at VA Central Office.
• Oversees participation in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) processes and resultant recommendations for system improvements, as they relate to Suicide Prevention initiatives.
• Communicates and ensures resolution of suicide prevention issues in a clear, concise, and engaging manner orally and in writing through issue briefs, congressional responses, White House Inquiries, and Director's Office requests.
• Provides appropriate and evidence-informed training in Suicide Prevention initiatives, risk factors, warning signs, treatment options, assessment strategies, and educational resources to clinical and non-clinical staff, as well as VA Community Partners and across the Boise VAMC catchment.
• Assures that Suicide Prevention clinical notes from staff contain timely, accurate and relevant clinical information.
• Facilitates Suicide Prevention Hotline response, high risk flag for suicidality referral, triage, and placement as well as revision of Boise VAMC Policies pertaining to Suicide Prevention as needed and appropriate.
• Tracks all suicide attempts and patients with serious suicide ideation at each facility.
• Disseminates, organizes, and, where possible, conducts evidence-based and promising, emerging interventions.
• Makes recommendations for referral of repeat attempters to a Home Tele-health program using the Depression or PTSD dialogues, as appropriate.
• Maintains awareness of suicide treatment options and making recommendations to the patient's provider when new options become available.
• Obtains any relevant HIPAA clearances to allow transmittal of facility data on suicide attempts and individuals at risk for trending and quality assurance purposes; and transmitting the data following cyber security requirements as applicable for this sensitive data.
• Coordinates the conduct of regularly scheduled environmental scans on inpatient psychiatric units to identify elements of the architecture or care processes that may lead to suicidal behavior, and follow-up as needed.
• Acts as the point of contact for Vet Centers to consult and refer high risk Veterans, coordinates the provision of mental health and medical services at the VAMC for these referred Veterans, works closely with Vet Center staff to provide training and assists with the utilization of evidence-based and nationally mandated risk assessments and SP safety plans.
• Develops and implements an ongoing education plan for providers, veterans, families, and members of the community on risk factors and warning signs for suicide, and treatment options.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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)
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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

GS-13 Supervisory Social Worker Grade Determinations:

• Experience/Education: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills in a specialty area or in administration demonstrating progressively more professional competency and judgment. 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 supervisory social workers 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:
  • (a) Ability to independently organize work, set priorities, and meet multiple deadlines.
  • (b) Skill in a range of supervisory duties which includes clinical supervision, consultation, negotiation with other departments and quality improvement.
  • (c) Ability to ensure provision of clinical social work services by supervised social workers.
  • (d) Ability to delegate authority, manage priorities, coordinate work, and follow up on pending issues to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion.
  • (e) Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems, develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations, and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
  • (f) Ability to provide staff training and development.

Preferred Experience: Supervisory experience in a behavioral health environment, experience working with suicidal patients,
experience with interpreting and using data preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination. Exceptions: A pre-placement examination is required for any occupation or assignment that requires the operation of a government-owned or -leased motor vehicle in order to properly carry out assigned duties. Examinations may also be required for any occupation or assignment that requires a pre-placement examination by virtue of another policy, regulation, or statute.

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.