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 is integral to supporting Whole Health Coaches and Veterans in navigating the Whole Health Journey.

Duties

The position works with individuals and groups throughout the facility in a client-centered process to facilitate and empower the client to develop and achieve self-determined goals related to health and wellness. Coaches support clients in mobilizing internal strengths and external resources and develops self-management strategies for making sustainable, healthy lifestyle behavior changes and more effectively managing chronic disease. As partners and facilitators, health and wellness coaches support their clients in achieving health goals and behavioral change based on their clients' own goals and consistent with treatment plans as prescribed by individual clients' professional health care providers. Coaches assist clients to use their insight, personal strengths and resources, goal setting, action steps and accountability toward healthy lifestyle change. Health Coaches both enhance wellness and assist with management of chronic disease. Health Coaches may work in primary care as a member of a PACT to assist Veterans with weight management, smoking cessation, addressing problematic areas in the eight components of proactive health and wellbeing, and adherence to chronic disease such as diabetes, congestive heart failure and chronic pain. Health Coaches may work on inpatient units to assist with identifying goals, developing behavior plans for discharge, and assisting with post-discharge follow-up. In all settings, Health Coaches conduct interventions that lead to improved functioning, decreased probability of deterioration or admission, and enhanced quality of life. 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. 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. Provides eligible Veterans and family members with information regarding lifestyle management including weight management, nutrition, exercise/fitness, smoking cessation, stress management, diabetes, pain management, and other appropriate conditions that are in line with the personalized health plan developed between the health care team and the patient, and in coordination with programs providing specific services when applicable, e.g., MOVE! for weight management or smoking cessation classes, if Veteran is enrolled in these programs. Uses VISTA, CPRS, Microsoft office software, Intranet and Internet and other applicable software to track and support patient progress. Communicate proactively and effectively with Veterans, peers and supervisors. Program Development The position promotes the use of health coaching throughout the facility, educating internal and external customers on the benefits of a coaching approach, publicizing available resources, developing coaching clinics and groups, participating in outreach events, and serving as a champion for Whole Health Coaching. Group coaching/educating on health coaching and training the facility. Develops and distributes locally approved health education materials to identified enrolled Veterans and family members. Serves on Healthcare System, VISN, and/or National VA committees or task forces specifically relating to Whole Health or Health Coaching. Represents Primary Care or Patient Centered Care/Whole Health on decision-making committees within the Healthcare System. Participates in leadership roles on local, state and/or national professional organizations specific to health coaching. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full time M-F 8:00 - 16:30 Compressed/Flexible: Telework: 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Social Science Program Specialist/PD99581-S Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/31/2023. 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-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. You will be qualified based on the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Coaching experience or facilitating group coaching/training sessions. Prior experience with assisting customers with behavior changes. Experience in primary care/outpatient settings. Experience in developing training materials. Collaborative/team building experience. working as a health coach using appropriate structure, process, skills and techniques; supports a patient's plan for health and well-being and provide information and resources for achieving goals; uses current research literature related to health and wellness; review supporting material to determine compliance with regulations and policy requirements; assists in planning and implementing program(s) within a medical center setting; uses creativity to engage employees and community partners in a newly developed program; developing training materials for staff educational needs; and experience using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of program effectiveness. or, Degree: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Interpersonal SkillsInterventionTeaches Others 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.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Palo Alto VA Medical Center 3801 Miranda Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 US
• Name: Eugene Jacobs
• Email: [email protected]