This position functions as an interdisciplinary team member, assisting physicians and other professional/non-professional personnel in a whole health partnership. The position performs a variety of roles that include welcoming Veterans into the local system, orienting them to Whole Health concepts, offering a variety of points of entry into partnership with VHA, and coordinating and connecting Veterans to resources and programs based on preferences.

Duties

The position provides information and advocates for Veterans' personal health goals and plan, and shared goals with clinical care team by partnering with Veterans in completing a Personal Health Inventory and exploring aspects of a Personal Health Plan in group and individual settings. The position is the steward of how to navigate the whole health system and orient Veterans new to the program about the services, hours, locations, staff, tools, resources, and other pertinent information necessary for the Veteran to understand the program and how to utilize the program. The position assists the Veterans to explore core elements of personal health planning, exploration of what matters to the Veteran, self-assessment using the components of health and well-being, identification of goals and potential actions in self-care areas, and identification of support and follow-up to implement a plan. The position assists Veterans in this exploration through one-to-one or group sessions. During these sessions, the position may assist Veterans in identifying their skills, strengths, supports, and the resources needed to aid them in achieving their health aspirations. Veterans are responsible for their personal health plan and the position assists Veterans in their self-exploration of mission, aspiration, purpose and beginning their personal health plan. Utilizing strong relational and facilitation skills, the position acts as a Veteran' point of contact to navigate through the Whole Health program (pathway, health and well-being programs, clinical care), assists the veteran in exploring options for participating in individual or group programs to explore the following core elements: Exploration of What Matters; Self-Assessment using Components of Health and Well- being/COH; Set goals/actions; identify support/follow-up. Facilitates group programs aimed at exploring the components of health and well-being, informs Veterans about community and mutual supports and how to use these to support health and well-being goals. Community resources may include, but are not limited to, consumer-run self-help and mutual support services, social security office, Department of Family and Children Services, local YMCA, library, Veterans' service organizations, etc. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Social Services Assistant-Whole Health/PD000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/03/2023. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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. This Social Services Aid and Assistant Series, 0186, has individual occupational requirements, as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements - Specialized Experience: Group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs. Counselor in a youth summer camp. Instructor in a training program for the development of job skills. Work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew. Group activities leader in the Armed Services. Unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government), employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development. Aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirements you must also qualify based on the below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of available health and well-being programs or resources for Veterans; knowledge of eligibility, enrollment, income assessment, and insurance for Veterans' medical care; knowledge of VA inpatient and outpatient programs and operations; telehealth; patient services; effective oral and written communication OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed at least one-half year of graduate level education (9 semester hours above a Bachelor's degree) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Social Services Assistant position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Preferred Experience: Whole Health Coaching VA Certification You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationCustomer ServiceOrganizational AwarenessTeam Building 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: The work will involve using a laptop computer at docking stations in staff cubicles/office space, outpatient treatment rooms, and group/conference rooms. The work will involve walking around to different workspaces within the clinic and thus conveying a patient- centered environment where providers go to the patient. The physical demands include presenting oneself in an energetic way to create positive attitudes about health and well-being for Veterans, families, VA employees, and stakeholders. The position is responsible for participating in and facilitating group-based and individual classes for Veteran patients and must be able to move from site to site to facilitate such classes.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-standard

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.

Contacts

• Address VA Western Colorado Health Care System 2121 North Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501 US
• Name: Christina Dirkach
• Phone: 479-305-6540
• Email: [email protected]