This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

Major Duties: The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) will serve to facilitate implementation of suicide prevention strategies within the medical center to help ensure that all appropriate measures are being taken to prevent suicide in this patient population. Activities will include support for the identification of veterans at high risk and coordinating enhanced care when needed. High risk veterans' health care and psychosocial problems and needs are complex and require a high degree of clinical oversight and creative problem solving. The incumbent facilitates efficient and appropriate delivery of Mental Health Services across episodes of care within the Medical Center and Community-based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC). The incumbent plans, develops, implements, and evaluates the facility Suicide Prevention Program to ensure continual quality improvement and excellence in customer service. The work affects a wide range of agency activities and operations. It directly affects the health and well- being of the patients served and relationships with community organizations and stakeholders. The Suicide Prevention Coordinator has programmatic responsibility and responsibility for overseeing daily job duties of facility staff assigned to the Suicide Prevention Program; these include case managers and administrative program support staff. The Suicide Prevention Coordinator is assigned to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. The incumbent is a master's prepared Licensed Clinical Social Worker. The work of this position is highly complex, involving a combination of mental health administrative skills and intensive clinical services both of which require the exercise of mature professional judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of professional abilities. The incumbent provides clinical services and consultation in serious and complicated cases including those presenting with a wide range of psychosocial and environmental problems. The incumbent plans, develops, implements and oversees all components of the Suicide Prevention Program. Duties include, but are not limited to: Administrative Responsibilities (100%) Assists in implementation of a full range of services including assessment and evaluation strategies for identifying veterans potentially at high risk for suicide. Ability to diagnose mental disorders and conduct mental health assessments when needed; however, currently serves in a consultation capacity for providers. Ability to treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and use the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care; however, currently serves in a consultation capacity for providers. Assists in implementation of adjunctive interventions for prevention and reduction of suicide risk for patients with mental and medical disorders. Makes recommendations for referral of repeat attempters to a Home Telehealth program using the Depression or PTSD dialogues, and/or intensive case management, as appropriate. Maintains awareness of suicide treatment options and makes recommendations to providers when new options become available. Consults with medical center staff concerning suicide prevention strategies and other related patient care issues. Oversees follow up on consults (within 24 business hours) received from the VA Suicide Hotline to assure timely access to care and follow-up for patients in crisis. When needed, the SPC assists with and expedites veteran enrollment into the VA. Assists in implementation of a full range of therapeutic interventions for mental and medical disorders including: Psychoeducational groups and individual, group, marital, and family therapy. Provides follow up on ensuring the patient is seen within 7 days of discharge from inpatient care. Exclusively controls the Category I Patient Record Flag as it relates to suicide and limits its use to patients who meet the criteria of being placed on the facility high risk list. Responsible for managing and overseeing the aggregate suicide Root Cause Analyses (RCA's) and participates in individual RCA's concerning patients who have attempted or committed suicide. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0:800am - 4:30 pm, Rotational on-call is a requirement of this position Telework: Adhoc Telework Only as Needed Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

John J. Pershing is committed to Diversity and Inclusion. Together, we strive to create and maintain a working and learning environment that promotes professional growth and teamwork. We offer an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment where we celebrate our individual differences and unite as a team toward a common goal of providing outstanding service to our Nation's Veterans. 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Master's degree in social work (MSW) 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 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 master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to the CSWE website (www.cswe.org) to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a Master of Social Work. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree levels. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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). Grade Determinations: 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. (2) 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. (3) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring. (b) Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program. (c) Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program. (d) Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s). (e) Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Program coordinators at the GS-12 grade level are administratively responsible for a clinical program providing treatment to Veterans in a major specialty area, such as but not limited to: Spinal Cord Injury, Homeless Continuum Veteran Program, Hospice and Palliative Care Program, Suicide Prevention Program, Veterans Justice Outreach, Caregiver Support Program and Community Nursing Home Program. The program coordinator may be the sole practitioner in this specialty at the facility and typically provide direct patient care services in the program area. The program coordinator oversees the daily operation of the program, develop policies and procedures for program operation, and prepare reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They may be responsible for the program's budget, developing and monitoring staff compliance with practice, standards and guidelines on documentation, workload, data entry, ethical practice and service delivery. The program coordinator provides analysis and evaluation of clinical program data and computerized programs to identify system-wide trends and needs to enhance the quality of service. They may be responsible for, or contribute to, the program's resource and fiscal management, monitoring control points developing the annual budget, operating within that budget, and accounting for appropriated funds. The program coordinator is administratively responsible for the clinical programming and prepares reports and statistics for facility, VISN, and national use. They provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for assigned staff. They initiate and conduct a variety of program or service audits and complete designated clinical practice audits and reports, including productivity assessments. They oversee program operations and evaluations, identifying areas for improvement, gathering relevant data, assessing the data, developing and implementing ideas for improvement and evaluating efficacy of improvement efforts.] References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 dated September 10, 2019. Physical Requirements: Light Lifting (15 lbs. and under); Light Carrying (15 lbs. and under); Both hands required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid permitted); emotional and mental stability. Definition of Highly Qualified Candidates: Candidates who possess unique skills and competencies needed to perform critical mission-essential functions. Per OPM.gov, to be Highly Qualified, the candidates are considered by the Human Resources Office and the subject matter expert (selecting official) as being highly proficient in all the requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position almost immediately or with a minimum amount of training and/or orientation. (Highly Qualified is not defined by years of experience alone). Refer to VA Handbook 5007, Part VI, Ch. 3

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.

Contacts

• Address John J Pershing VA Medical Center 1500 North Westwood Boulevard Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 US
• Name: Jerome Edmonds
• Phone: (573)712-3971
• Email: [email protected]