The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) functions as the coordinator of care for Veterans at suicide risk and as an advisor to the Chief of Mental Health Services, facility leadership, program managers and other medical center staff concerning suicide prevention strategies for individual Veterans, for the facility and for the Veteran community as a whole.
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 4 accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. 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. Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/. 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). Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. Grade Determinations:. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience providing Mental Health Crisis Intervention. Experience working in mental health with Veteran population is preferred. 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. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying of light objects such as files, books, and papers. Some walking, standing , and bending is required. No special physical qualifications are required.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Specific functions of the SPC include, among others, identifying Veterans at risk for suicide, tracking appointments and coordinating enhanced care as needed, educating providers, Veterans, families, and members of the community about risk factors and warning signs for suicide, and identifying treatment options. This is accomplished through: Tracking and reporting all Veteran suicide attempts and completions within the facility's catchment area, including the submission of a monthly report to the National Suicide Prevention Coordinator (Janet Kemp, Ph.D.). Maintaining a facility "high-risk" list which identifies Veterans who have been deemed at- risk for suicide, per their consultation with clinicians. Assessing the risk of suicide in individual Veterans in conjunction with the treating clinician and managing the Category II Patient Record Flag for Veterans at high risk for suicide. Exclusively controlling the Category II Patient Record Flag as it relates to suicide and limits its use to Veterans who meet the criteria of being placed on the facility high risk list. Maintaining the list of Veterans who have a Category II Patient Record Flag for suicide and reviewing these Veteran's records at least every 90 days to determine the continuation or discontinuation of the Flag. Ensuring that Veterans identified as being at high risk for suicide receive follow-up contact for any missed mental health and substance abuse appointments in conjunction with the clinical treatment team, and that this follow-up is documented in the electronic medical record. On-going collaboration with Suicide Prevention Specialists as well as other national SPCs to ensure continuing contact with and monitoring of those Veterans that have been identified as high-risk for suicide to assure on-going care and treatment. Following up on consults (within 24 business hours) received from the VA Suicide Hotline to assure timely access to care and follow-up for Veterans in crisis. When an appointment is needed, and when possible, the SPC meets the Veteran at the door to make sure they are seen and evaluated in a timely manner. The SPC assists with and expedites Veteran enrollment into the VA as needed. Facilitating Operation S.A.V.E. training, or other approved "guide" training, to all new employees. SPC disseminates materials to these employees including brochures pertaining to suicide prevention and awareness, a PowerPoint presentation, and National Suicide Prevention Hotline information. Following up on referrals received from staff as a result of the Operation S.A.V.E. training. Facilitating other training programs at the site by request of the facility. Facilitating the community version of Operation S.A.V.E. training to community organizations that have contact with Veterans. Facilitating community outreach activities every month to assist with suicide prevention and awareness. Building relationships with local and state suicide prevention organizations, local crisis line organizations, and local Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs). Developing partnerships with VA program coordinators, managers such as the Seamless Transition Program Manager, Patient Safety Managers (PSM), Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Coordinator, and with local Vet Center staff and other community organizations. This partnership is to assure that Veterans are assessed and evaluated for suicide risk as appropriate and preventative interventions are in place. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday. Schedule will be discussed during the interview process. 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 offer 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 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. Functional Statement #: 92676-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized