Social Worker (Outpatient Mental Health Pcmhi/Suicide Prevention)

Summary

The Social Worker in this position works within the Mental Health Directorate at the Capt. James A. Lovell FHCC as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator and the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Social Worker. The incumbent will be located clinically within the PCMHI program, carrying out a range of services including suicide prevention and intervention, as well as administratively within the Suicide Prevention Program as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator (50% of the time in each area).

Learn more about this agency

Help

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

06/26/2024 to 07/18/2024

• Salary

$99,513 - $129,362 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 12

• Help

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• North Chicago, IL 1 vacancy

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0185 Social Work

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CAZP-12436110-24-JMT

• Control number

797356000

Help

This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

Consideration will be given to current, permanent employees of the James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center ONLY.

Videos

Help

Duties

Functions of Suicide Prevention will include:

• Identifies High Risk Veterans receiving care at FHCC, through review of consults, referrals from providers/teams, Reach Vet identification and by participation in Med/Surg Rounding or Treatment Team Meetings.

• Tracks Patients identified as High Risk for Suicide.

• Assists with maintaining a facility "High-Risk List" which identifies patients who have been deemed at-risk for suicide.

• Ensures that all Veterans identified as High Risk for Suicide and those who may benefit clinically from having a Safety Plan, have a completed a Safety Plan documented in CPRS and will ensure the Patient is provided with a copy of his/her Safety Plan.

• Will provide education and training to Primary Care Staff on the use of Suicide Safety Plans and assist with integrating its use into their practice.

• Will provide education and training to Primary Care Staff on Lethal Means Counseling and assist staff with integrating this into their practice.

• Will establish relationships with medical teams and wards to ensure the implementation of the Suicide Prevention Program.

• The incumbent is responsible for tracking and reporting all suicide attempts and completions at the facility through the SPAN reporting system.

• Exclusively controls the Category I Patient Record Flag as it relates to suicide and limits its use to patients who meet the criteria for being placed on the facility High Risk List. They will maintain the list of patients who have a Category I Patient Record Flag for suicide.

• Provides assessment for risk of suicide in individual patients in conjunction with the treating clinician when managing the Category I Patient Record Flag for patients at high risk for suicide.

Functions of Primary Care Mental Health Integration will include:

• The incumbent will use appropriate assessment questions geared towards current problem referral and functioning, to identify how the patient's physical condition, thoughts, emotions, behaviors, habits, and environment are impacting/influencing the identified problem.

• The incumbent will be able to rapidly identify presenting problems and develop appropriate interventions based on clinical need.

• The incumbent will provide feedback to the referring provider about psychological intervention strategies.

• The incumbent will readily identify patients in need of specialty behavioral health care when the intensity of service needed is beyond care that can be provided as the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Social Worker.

• The incumbent will focus recommendations and interventions on functional outcomes and symptom reduction.

• The incumbent will teach self-management skills/home-based practice as the primary method for decreased symptoms and improved functioning.

• The incumbent will complete thorough PCMHI functional assessments in collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, the Veteran, family members/significant others, as well as complete reassessments as defined by policy.

• Contribute to the development of the treatment plan by setting achievable treatment goals with the Veteran, family members/significant others and providers.

• The incumbent is the subject matter expert on VA and/or community resources and will collaborate with other service providers in reassessing the Veteran's needs.

• The incumbent is responsible for educating the Veteran and family members/significant others of the available services and assisting them in establishing the appropriate referrals based on the Veteran's preference or that of his surrogate decision-maker.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800-1630

Telework: Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date. 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. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

• 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.

• 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

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. 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/.

• Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline.

• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized 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.

• 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.

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.

• Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.

• Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.

• Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).

• Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

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

Additional information

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.

Read more

• Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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

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.