Lead Social Services Assistant

Full Job Description

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.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/25/2026.

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. English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C.

7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

Social Services Aid and Assistant 0186 Series Individual Occupational Requirement: To qualify for positions within the Social Services Aid and Assistant 0186 Series, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

For the 0186 series, examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to experience as a(n): 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.

Experience for Lead Social Services Assistant Position: For this position, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet at least 3 of the 4 specialized experience requirements to minimally qualify: Locating individuals in crisis and identifying emergency services available; Linking emergency services to individuals in crisis and relaying/communicating information to emergency service; Applying rules, policies, and procedures related to crisis hotlines; Applying analytical skills to review and report on crisis line data and trends to recommend improvements; OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

Applicants must possess at least one and a half years (1.5 years) of graduate-level education leading to a Master's Degree or equivalent graduate degree that is directly related to the work of this position that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this position.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

One year of graduate study is usually considered to be 18 semester hours unless otherwise indicated by the school attended.

(Transcript required) OR, Combination: Applicants may possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education with courses directly related to the work of this position that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this position.

(Transcript required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication 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: None.

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/.

Major Duties:

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: 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 not a bargaining unit position.