Social Worker (Program Coordinator) Suicide Prevention Coordinator

The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) facilitates implementation of suicide prevention strategies at the local level through education, monitoring, & coordination of treatment. They coordinate the care for veterans who are at an elevated risk of suicide. They function as an advisor to the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health, other facility leadership, staff concerning suicide prevention strategies at the individual patient level & for the facility, and the veteran community as a whole.

Qualifications

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/.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Continuation of Major Duties:

• Deliver on-going Gatekeeper Training with non-clinical staff to ensure their effective identification of patients in crisis and awareness of treatment and intervention options for such patients.
• Collaborate with community resources by providing gatekeeper training and other activities to promote awareness of veteran suicide risk, ways to mitigate risk, and how they might assist veterans gaining access to proper resources.
• Develop and implement ongoing education for providers, Veterans, families, and members of the community regarding suicide risk identification and prevention.
• Respond timely to Veteran Crisis Line referrals, internal consults, and other inquiries from VA staff and community members to address needs of veterans at elevated risk of suicide.
• Ensure patient and staff educational materials on suicide prevention are prominently displayed throughout STVHCS.
• Gather data regarding suicide attempts, completions, and staff and community training for recurring suspense reporting, adhering to station and VISN reporting requirements and timelines.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
  The Suicide Prevention Coordinator additionally demonstrates competency in the below areas:
• Professional knowledge of the principles and practices of social work and social work care management for patients with a wide range of physical, mental health, and psychosocial problems.
• Knowledge of the psychosocial, medical, and mental health needs common to Veterans, to include recognizing risk factors and warning signs of suicide.
• Ability to conduct sound clinical assessments addressing suicide risk and develop appropriate treatment planning for Veterans at elevated risk.
• Mastery of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of program effectiveness and advocating for the special needs of the population.
• Knowledge of statistics, data analysis, and program evaluation using statistical data.
• Comprehensive knowledge of VHA and other government entitlement programs and benefits available to Veterans, including community resources and services for the disabled, peer counseling programs, and Federal laws and regulations regarding the disabled. Comprehensive understanding of Federal laws and regulations, VHA policies, and resources applicable to Veterans.
• Knowledge of the requirements contained within the Mental Health Uniform Services Handbook, and the VHA's Care Management goals, objectives, and guidelines. Knowledge of the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones and methods of evaluating the worth of program accomplishments.
• Ability to operate a computer with a variety of software, to include CPRS, Vista, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in order to enter required information regarding patient care, complete recurring reports, development and collection of clinical and administrative data, and the development of presentations.
• The position requires both knowledge and skill in written communication. This includes policies and procedures, reports, letters for the incumbent's signature, and the signature of others, which often addresses sensitive and potentially controversial topics and issues.
• Knowledge of oral communication, as required to present effectively in both clinical and nonclinical settings within the VA and broader community.
• The position requires clinical and interpersonal skill in eliciting information which is usually considered private, personal, and often emotionally-charged. This includes skill in evaluating the information, measuring its meaning and importance to the Veteran, and applying it to direct services and/or to treatment objectives.
• The position requires knowledge of state and federal reporting requirements for child and elder abuse, endangerment of handicapped or disabled persons, domestic violence, and deficiencies in the operations of licensed providers and agencies.
• The position requires knowledge of VA reporting requirements regarding patient incidents or irregular events
• Knowledge of adult education techniques to inform and assist patients and families regarding participation in treatment and follow-up with established treatment objectives or plans.
• Knowledge of clinical teaching.
• Knowledge of short- and long-term case management and care coordination methods and techniques.

Additional information