Summary

The Eastern Colorado Health Care System - located in Aurora - CO is currently recruiting for two GS-12 Senior Social Workers to work as Suicide Prevention Coordinators.

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:

• Citizenship Must be a US citizen
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it's not possible to recruit qualified US citizens English Language Proficiency Psychologists must be proficient in spoken & written English 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 the social worker position GS-0185 series in the 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/ORHM//T38Hybrids
• Loss of Licensure or Certification
• Once licensed or certified - social workers must maintain a full - valid - and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment
• Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment
• 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 Determination Requirements: The following criteria must be met in addition to the Basic Requirements for employment listed above when determining the candidate's grade
• Grade Determination: Senior Social Worker - GS-12 Experience/Education
• The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice
• Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty
• AND Licensure/Certification
• Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination - unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California - which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: 1) Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• 2) Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• 3) Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes
• 4) Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• 5) Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• Preferred Experience: 2 plus years working as a clinical provider in a mental health setting - experience w/ suicide risk screening & suicide prevention intervention & case management & care coordination experience Reference please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ for qualification standards information The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Sometimes lift/carry <15 lbs - regularly reach over shoulder Use computer equipment - & sit - walk - stand Carry papers - books - laptop/other items Rapid mental/muscular coordination Infrequently climb/descend stairs - bend Complete - pass & maintain Basic Life Support certification

Duties

• vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Social-Worker-Career-Flyer.pdf Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Senior Social Worker Suicide Prevention Coordinator duties include - but aren't limited to the following: Serves as Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator Provides direct patient care services to high-risk population & may manage program daily operation May develop program operation policies & procedures & prepares reports & statistics for facility - VISN - & national tasks Provides a full range of mental health services using appropriate evaluations - structured interviews - generates reports & provides expert consultation to other disciplines or units providing care for veterans at high risk for suicide Coordinates/monitor services & acts as transitional care coordinator for patients during most acute risk time periods Manages High-Risk Flags & ensure all local & national standards & best practices are met by all Program services & providers Assesses psychosocial - environmental needs - barriers to recovery - or exacerbated psychiatric problems Establishes/maintains supportive relationships w/ Veteran - family &/or significant others & works w/ treatment Formulates treatment goals & develops structured continuum of care for all assigned cases Provides full range of patient care interventions - including individual - family - group therapy & specialized interventions - e.g
• behavior management consultations & systems or environmental interventions Presents informed reports/educates multi-disciplinary teams on latest evidence based intervention techniques Reviews &/or participates in research
• promotes - initiates - assists or engages in program evaluation &/or other basic & applied research activities Advanced clinical skills in Suicide Risk Assessment and Interventions Has significant research knowledge of Suicidology pertaining to demographics - risk factors & protective factors Has detailed knowledge of Substance Abuse problems - Major Depression - Bipolar Disorder - Schizophrenia - Polytrauma and Chronic Pain Syndromes since they often exist/co-exist in patients at risk for suicide
• Uses skills relating w/ interdisciplinary team members & therapist experience working w/ patients & family members Works w/ local agencies/community resources to coordinate long-term objectives Is familiar w/ clinical & administrative principles related to VA Systems Performs basic data entry and retrieval Adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics Complies w/ national & local performance measures - including timely health care screening & completion of clinical reminders for patients Responds to Veterans Crisis Line - VCL referrals per national guidelines & internal facility referrals Assists Veterans in addressing complex medical & mental health needs by obtaining services from VA & other service delivery agencies - e.g
• local shelters - food banks - employment services - veteran's benefits & social security applications w/ to reduce suicide triggers/drivers Complies w/ all documentation procedures - including timeliness standards according to policies Participates educational activities - completes unit based in-services - & mandatory educational activities in a self-directed manner by deadlines Demonstrates positive - effective communication skills & professional behavior that promote cooperation & teamwork Practices good customer customer service & demonstrates VA I-CARE values Participates in unit-based quality of care performance improvement activities - unit based performance improvement measures & results Identifies problem areas by practicing evidence-based practices on unit Perform other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:30am-4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Yes Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: PD53864A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized