Duties

VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU

The Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS) is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community settings. CVHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Richmond, Virginia, and 5 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) serving the Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, and Emporia areas.

CVHCS is an academic medical facility with well-established educational and research programs.

The Social Work Suicide Prevention Supervisor/Program Manager serves a dual role as a Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) at CVHCS, while directing the overall development and implementation of an effective prevention, surveillance, and monitoring program.

Duties pertaining to the SPC role include, but are not limited to the following:

- Is responsible for monitoring Veterans Health Administration (VHA) performance monitors and measures related to Suicide Prevention Program to assure they are met or exceeded. Identifies unmet needs of Veterans who are at risk for suicide and their families and works collaboratively with facility, VISN and VACO staff to develop and implement solutions.
- Supervision and administrative oversight of daily operations and outcomes for the CVHCS Suicide Prevention Program.
- Leading all SPP responses to audits of the facility's suicide prevention efforts, to include visits by the Office of the Inspector General, the Joint Commission, and others.
- Leading all SPP responses to external inquiries regarding facility suicide prevention efforts, including tasks emanating from the White House, Congressional inquiries on behalf of constituents, and responses to complaints logged with external entities, such as the Joint Commission.
- Responsibility for facility and VISN issue briefs required for effective communication regarding self-directed violence. - Serving on facility and VISN-level committees and workgroups impacting policies and practice patterns.
- Assists the Mental Health Chief in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program.
- Complies with national and local performance measures and facilitates organizational success on these measures at the team level.
- Liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate services.
- Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Mental Health Chief (or designee), Chief of Staff, and/or Facility Director.
- Ability to resolve informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area.
- The SPC supervises an organizational unit. The SPC ensures the appropriate training of facility staff, and fully complies with safety regulations as well as supervises employees to accomplish the work of the organization unit.
- The SPC is responsible for the follow up of consults (the next business day) received from the Veterans Crisis Line to assure timely access to care and follow-up for Veterans in crisis.
- The SPC is responsible for maintaining the facility Category I Patient Record Flag for High Risk for Suicide which identifies Veterans who have been deemed at-risk for potential suicide, in consultation with their Principal Mental Health Provider.
- The SPC ensures that Veterans identified as being at High Risk for Suicide are receiving enhanced care through clinical contacts, including follow-up for any missed appointments within the health care system in conjunction with the clinical treatment team.
- The SPC facilitates the interdisciplinary High Risk for Suicide Review Committee which is responsible for reviewing the Category I Patient Record Flag at least every 90 days.
- Provides liaison services with other programs referring Veterans to ensure continuity of care and promote successful transition of Veterans.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630
Telework: Ad Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Hector.France@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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

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/.

Grade Determination Requirements, Social Worker (Program Coordinator) GS-13: In addition to the basic requirements, this following are required for the GS-13 grade-level position:

• 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 a supervisory social workers must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level, and must be able to provide supervision for licensure.

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, (KSA's), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training. Otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. The GS-13 KSA's for this subject position are;

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Skill in coordinating and implementing one or more specialty program(s), across the facility.
• Skill in local policy and practice development, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program as prescribed by the program handbook or national directive.
• Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to further program goals and enhance patient centered care.
• Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties including assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; and selection of staff, training, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary action.
• Ability to oversee the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (including fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
• Knowledge of organizational structure and impact on program operations.

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).

Preferred Experience: Preferred experience with treating veterans.

References: Meets the qualification standard for the GS 13 Supervisory Social Worker as defined in See VA Handbook 5005/120, Part II, Appendix G39, Social Worker Qualification Standard, GS-185, Veterans Health Administration.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The work requires extreme patience and controlling of emotions. The work may require assisting physically disabled Veterans. Day-today work involves sitting, walking, standing, and carrying light objects. The work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable diseases common to the hospital environment.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.