Duties

Summary

This position is responsible for the delivery of Whole Health Coaching and skill development of the local Medical Center's Whole Health Coach program, including provision of care through coaching and promotion and education regarding Whole Health Coaching to Veterans and staff. The position provides care to Veterans seeking self-directed, lasting changes aligned with their values

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Contacts eligible participants for enrollment and explain the health coaching process.
• Provides health coaching for Veterans in order to reduce or eliminate high-risk behaviors while increasing healthy ones.
• Conducts interventions for Veterans using one-on-one, couple, or group modalities in outpatient and inpatient settings.
• Conducts Whole Health Facilitated Groups; participate in MOVE, smoking cessation, diabetes management, hypertension clinics, mental health, and other inpatient and outpatient groups as appropriate.
• Provides follow-up care through telephone clinics or secure messaging between face-to-face appointments.
• Actively guides Veterans in the exploration of core elements of personal health planning through individual and group based programs.
• Encourages and assists Veterans with the adoption of habits that are conducive to a higher quality of life and in alignment with the Veteran's goals. Identify habits and behaviors that are harmful to quality of life and related to chronic illness.
• Develops treatment plans for Veterans focused on behavioral interventions based on current scientific knowledge and research that improve quality of life and reduce risk for chronic disease, or that reverse or slow progression of chronic disease.
• Reviews current health behaviors and develops customized treatment plans with Veterans. These plans include personalized goals, action steps and interventions. Individualize intervention strategies to help the client utilize existing skills and develop new ones to enhance success. Schedule ongoing sessions to assess progress and assist in navigating obstacles or challenges. Guide Veterans to learn about available support tools in the VA and the community that assist in attainment of goals.
• Coordinates care with Veterans' treatment providers, both primary and specialty care, to ensure identified goals are consistent with best practices for treatment and management of chronic illness.
• Utilizes motivational interviewing and health coaching techniques and processes, learned through prerequisite health coach training, to assist members in developing a realistic plan to accomplish their goals.
• Fosters an environment of individual responsibility to maximize each Veteran's ability to adhere to a lifestyle management plan.
• Develops trust with Veterans and incorporates trust principles in day-to-day activities. Works collaboratively within a team setting to provide positive outcomes for participants, peers and overall operations.
• Maintains education and knowledge regarding lifestyle (habits and behaviors) and clinical outcomes, including behaviors that improve Veterans' health and well-being and those related to poor clinical outcomes.
• Coordinates with others on the Veteran's health care team to ensure optimal patient care.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30AM - 4:00PM
Telework: Occasional Telework available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Social Science Program Coordinator (Health Coach)/PD534186
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be expected.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
None

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/12/2021.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Individual Occupational Requirement: To qualify for the Social Science Series (GS-0101), applicants must meet the requirements in the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) as defined by the Office of Personnel Management. (OPM)
Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) listed above, the applicant must also possess:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: identifying motivation for change, determining goals for their work together, developing treatment plans to
  reach these goals, implementing those treatment plans, and assessing progress in order to adjust plans as necessary. Provide information on the relationship between lifestyle and health outcomes, exploring behaviors that increase the risk of developing or worsening chronic disease and those that reduce the likelihood of chronic illness. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. To calculate, first determine the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position (TRANSCRIPTS REQURIED).

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Accountability
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Listening
• Oral Communication

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Regular and recurring work is mostly sedentary involving sitting at a desk, although the position requires
the ability to move from one geographic location of the facility to another. Some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending or prolonged sitting may be required. The work places no special physical demands on the employee.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ .

Education

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

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified : applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ .

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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

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

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.