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.
The employee will be required to travel to the closest VA Medical Center or VA Outpatient Clinic for issuance of equipment, and as needed for technical support. Selectees will be required to self-certify that their remote workplace meets all safety, privacy, and internet speed requirements.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Social Services Assistant/PD99491S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not required Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This is a bargaining unit position.
Transcript Reminder: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must depict the name of the college to determine accreditation, and your name must also be displayed on the transcripts. If qualifying based on a degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show the date the degree was conferred. If selected, you must provide official transcripts.
Transcripts should state degree conferred and have a date. Copies of official transcripts are accepted and are the best way to ensure your education is interpreted correctly in accordance with OPM qualification standards. Unofficial transcripts are accepted if they contain all the required information. 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/. 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/.
VHANationalRecruitmentCenter@va.gov · (844)456-5208
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $55882 – $90814/yr.
Yes, this position is fully remote.
This position requires a Other security clearance.
Applications close on 2026-09-16.
This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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