Social Worker (Program Coordinator) - Suicide Prevention Community Engagement and Partnerships

The incumbent is a member of a diverse, multi-professional team who works independently and has extensive experience developing and leading groups, partnerships, or coalitions addressing suicide prevention. The position is primarily administrative with less than 2% clinical time anticipated annually.

Qualifications:

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 Master 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/.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

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 a Social Worker (Program Coordinator) must be licensed or certified at the advanced practice level and must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Applicants must meet the requirements for providing supervision in the state where they are licensed at the advanced practice level and should list these qualifications within the assessment narrative and their resume. Documentation is required if part of your state's requirements for providing supervision for licensure is beyond your licensure only (example: certification of continuing education credits).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs (document with written demonstration of KSAs must be included with application, see required documents section)

1. Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
2. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
3. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
4. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
5. Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39

Physical Requirements: Daily intermittent walking, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, and carrying of lightweight items required. Rigid deadlines and need for high degree of accuracy periodically becomes stressful. Community visits may require the ability to drive a vehicle.

Responsibilities:

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Serves as a content matter expert for suicide prevention and facilitates integration of suicide prevention education throughout the community by developing and organizing community partners and coalitions aimed at reducing Veteran suicide at the state and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) level.
• Serves as a subject matter expert (SME) in state and local community suicide prevention resources and education connections.
• SME for suicide prevention and facilitates integration of suicide prevention education throughout the community by developing and organizing community partners and coalitions aimed at reducing Veteran suicide at the state and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) level.
• Promotes a public health approach to suicide prevention.
• Responsible for developing, facilitating, and strengthening suicide prevention coalitions in the community.
• Connect with VA programs and stakeholders including, but not limited to, Veterans, Veteran Service Organizations, congressional staff, media, community business partners, and community members throughout the health care system and VISN catchment areas to provide education on suicide prevention related topics and services.
• Serves as a SME, supporting coalitions by providing new or existing education and outreach initiatives on behalf of the assigned VA Health Care facility and the surrounding catchment area.
• Coalition building outreach activities
• Serves as a content matter expert for suicide prevention and facilitates integration of suicide prevention education throughout the community by developing and organizing community partners and coalitions aimed at reducing Veteran suicide at the state and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) level. The CEPC is a subject matter expert (SME) in state and local community suicide prevention resources and education connections. The CEPC promotes a public health approach to suicide prevention.
• Connects with VA programs and stakeholders
• Demonstrates effective public speaking skills and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a variety of audiences.
• Fosters strong collaborative relations with the suicide prevention team in the development and implementation of suicide prevention educational programs and initiatives.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, working with staff and stakeholders at all knowledge and proficiency levels.
• Disseminates relevant research findings through practice, education, and consultation with non-VA community partners as well as other VA health care professionals and administrators.
• Performs statistical reporting, evaluation, consultation, and collaboration with non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community partners as well as other VA health care professionals and administrators.
• Develops materials and training programs, in coordination with the SP team members, other facility and VISN stakeholders, and the National OMHSP office/MIRECC for staff and external stakeholders regarding suicide prevention in VHA and the facility.
• Develops and maintains content expertise in SP through peer review, networking, internet access, published literature, national conference calls, and educational offerings and professional meetings.
• Grows community network of unique stakeholders through actively engaging a variety of venues and audiences.
• Seeks out opportunities to broaden the network of outreach to the Veteran population to achieve optimum saturation in the catchment area.
• Develops and maintains current content expertise on Veteran suicide prevention.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday administrative days
Telework: Regular and recurring telework. Must be within commuting distance of Sioux Falls VAMC.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required