Lead Social Services Assistant
Veterans Health Administration · Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
The employee will serve as the Lead Social Services Assistant, located in the Clinical Operations Department, Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), Veterans Affair (VA). The VCL is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year service aimed at connecting callers worldwide to a caring, qualified Veterans Administration employee. The VCL's mission is to provide 24/7, world-class suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to Veterans, Service Members and their family members. Major 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: Varied work schedule to include evenings, nights, weekends and holidays to provide 24/7 call center coverage. Tour will be determined after final selections and will be based on seniority. Tour is subject to change based on program needs. Selectees will be expected to work all shifts. Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: Not available Remote: This is remote position. Selectees will work 100% of the time in a non-VA-owned space outside of the local commuting area of a parent station. The employee's workspace must be suitable for conducting business and as such, remote employees are expected to provide a secure, distraction-free home-based worksite with reliable high speed internet connectivity