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Summary The Lead Social Services Assistant (LSSA) is a critical position at the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), Office of Suicide Prevention. The VCL is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a year service aimed at connecting callers worldwide to a caring, qualified VA employee. NOTE: This announcement includes a 'soft applicant-count cut-off' - Please see 'Duties' section for more details. Responsibilities This position is covered by (AFGE) bargaining unit. Soft cut-off/Order of referral: Applications received up to 11:59p.m. EST on the date in which 75 minimally qualified applications is reached will receive first consideration. Applications received after 11:59p.m. EST on the date in which 75 minimally qualified applications are received may not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Additional applications will be reviewed in one day increments at management request. Main duties include but are not limited to: Exercises technical and administrative oversight of Social Service Assistants (SSA) team to include communicating work assignments and deadlines to be accomplished by SSA team. The LSSA provides guidance on dispatch of emergency services, how to locate callers in danger, and ensures the correct and appropriate submission of Veteran Protected Health Information to VA Medical Centers around the country Understands the operations of all business lines including telephone, chat, text, and developing social media contacts. Ability to provide oversight of the specialty consultation and collaboration between Social Services Assistants, Health Science Specialists, and Suicide Prevention Coordinators (SPC), VA wide and approved constituents (e.g., VA providers, law enforcement, etc.) to coordinate expedited connections to treatment programs, support resources, and initiate/facilitate emergency services, as needed. Use a professional tone and language when working with all contacts, including Social Services Assistants, Responders, dispatch, and VA personnel. Ensure accurate and efficient record-keeping by team whose documentation will be reviewed by a wide audience including VCL staff members, SPCs, and facility providers. Exercises creative problem-solving skills and makes critical, time-sensitive decisions while handling emergent situations involving emergency dispatch requests and facility transport plans. Offers and provides appropriate follow-up or outreach, when necessary, per VCL protocols. Incorporates applicable guidelines consisting of the VA's vision, mission and values, established program policies, procedures and objectives, rules and regulations provided by VHA and external regulatory agencies and national standards of care, performance conduct and ethical behavior to guide interventions, choices and professional conduct. Exercises creative problem-solving skills and makes critical, time-sensitive decisions while handling emergent situations involving emergency dispatch requests and facility transport plans. Ability to skillfully advocate for local police and other emergency service response in order to ensure the safety of a caller when situations are not able to be resolved at the level of Social Services Assistant. Develops or assists with the development and implementation of policies and procedures consistent with those of the organization to ensure efficient and safe operation of the VCL. Facilitates, observes, communicates, or assists in the management of program resources, (financial, human, material or informational) to facilitate safe, effective and efficient care. Utilizes basic knowledge of mental health and medical terminology through written and oral communication and assists team in doing the same. Work Schedule: TBD. VCL has multiple tours that cover our 24/7/365 operations (this does include Holidays). Tour is subject to change based on program needs. Remote: This is a remote position. Position Description/PD#: Lead Social Services Assistant/PD99491S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/11/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) (required for positions GS-4 and above): This position includes an Individual Occupation Requirement. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Individual Occupation Requirements must be reflected in your application. Examples of Experience required Include: Group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs. Counselor in a youth summer camp. Instructor in a training program for the development of job skills. Work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew. Group activities leader in the Armed Services. Unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government), employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development. Aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities. Aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. -AND- Specialized Experience (GS-08): As well as meeting the IOR above, applicants must also possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7).You may qualify based on your experience as described below. Examples of specialized experience would include, but are not limited to: Providing emergency mental health and suicide prevention support services in a call center environment. Demonstrated communication, leadership and supervisory skills to direct a team. Developing internal and external resource/reference material. Applying analytical skills to review and report on program data and trends to recommend improvements. Detailed knowledge of an extensive body of rules, policies and procedures related to crisis hotlines. Additional Specialized Experience Includes: Providing emergency mental health and suicide prevention support services in a call center environment; demonstrated communication, leadership and supervisory skills to direct a team; developing internal and external resource/reference material; and applying analytical skills to review and report on program data and trends to recommend improvements. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications Information Management Leadership Organizational Awareness 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary; typically work is accomplished in an office type setting. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending and carrying on light items. Work Environment: Environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precaution typical for an office, meeting room or training center. A work area is adequately lighted, heated, cooled and ventilated. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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 Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.