This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC), under the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Line (MHBS). This position is aligned with the Suicide Prevention Program.
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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g this part). 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). Grade Determinations: Social Worker (Program Coordinator), GS-12 Education and Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 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 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: (a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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: The work performed will be both within the medical center and within the community as needed. The environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of offices, patient rooms, and in general, the medical center.
Suicide Risk Assessments Provide suicide risk assessments in the Emergency Department on Week-ends (Saturday and Sunday) as well as brief assessment. Psychotherapy Provide individual and group psychotherapy to Veterans at high risk of suicide. Program Coordination: Responsible for tracking and reporting all suicide attempts and completions at their facility. Exclusively controls the Category I Patient Record Flag as it relates to suicide and limits its use to patients who meet the criteria of being placed on the facility high-risk list. Engages in aggregate suicide Root Cause Analyses (RCA's). Involved in the Environment of Care (EOC) Safety Survey. The SPC assists the EOC Safety Survey team in determining actions that should be taken to improve the mental health inpatient environment. Develops partnerships with the facility Post 9/11 Military to VA (M2VA) Coordinators, Patient Safety Managers, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Coordinators, transitional care management teams, local Vet Center staff, residential care teams, and local mental health teams. This partnership is to assure that patients are assessed and evaluated for suicide risk as appropriate and preventative interventions are in place. Responsible for monitoring VHA performance monitors and measures related to the Suicide Prevention Program to assure they are met throughout the facility and will implement planning to address noted deficiencies. Develops policy and procedures to ensure compliance with Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other accrediting bodies and regulatory standards as needed. Develops a data-driven, continuous quality improvement program with established goals and outcomes to evaluate and document the program's effectiveness. Coordinates the daily operation of the Suicide Prevention Program, in conjunction with the Suicide Prevention Program Manager and provides accountability for program effectiveness and modification of service patterns to enhance customer satisfaction. Identifies gaps in services and develops a plan, in consultation with facility leadership that will make available the best possible resources in meeting program needs. Oversight of Care Coordination: Oversees the Suicide Prevention Case Managers, including monitoring their caseload and the advocacy services provided to high risk for suicide Veterans in their caseload. Documents, when appropriate, the nature of follow-up and recommendations for continuing treatment in the electronic medical record. Ensures continued contact and monitoring with Veterans that have been identified as high-risk for suicide to assure continued care and treatment. Provides follow-up on referrals received from staff due to the Operation S.A.V.E. training. Maintains a facility "high-risk" list which identifies patients who have been deemed at-risk for suicide. Provides consultation for assessment for risk of suicide in individual patients in conjunction with the treating clinician and managing the Category I Patient Record Flag for patients at high risk for suicide. Maintains a current network of referral resources to include substance use treatment, outpatient medical and/or psychiatric care, vocational rehabilitation, etc. and with VSOs. Patient, Stakeholders, and Staff Education: Provides Operation S.A.V.E. training or other approved "gatekeeper" training to all non-clinical staff that have patient contact. Responsible for the delivery of other training programs at the site by request of the facility. Provides training for all new employees as part of New Employee Orientation. Ensures medical center is following all VHA requirements for staff training and education related to Suicide Prevention and Awareness for both clinical and non-clinical staff. Responsible for staff and patient education during Suicide Awareness Month. Educational activities may include displays and exhibits regarding suicide prevention. In addition, educational activities may provide information about the VA National Mental Health Crisis/Suicide Hotline discussion, and other support services available. Develops and implements a plan for outreach to promote awareness of Veteran suicide risk and educate the community regarding recognizing suicide risk among Veteran population and how to assist Veterans and their families in accessing available resources for support and care. Serves as a resource for both the VA facility and community related to Veteran suicide and suicide prevention issues. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8am-4:30pm Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; week-ends required. Telework: Ad-hoc as needed. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized