Social Services Assistant

Quick Facts

• Role: Social Services Assistant

• Work setting: 100% remote in a non-VA-owned workspace; travel to the closest VA Medical Center/VA Outpatient Clinic for equipment and technical support

• Schedule: Varied work schedule including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays; expected to work all shifts

Description

This role supports a 24/7, 365-day veteran suicide prevention and crisis intervention service by connecting callers to qualified VA employees and coordinating emergency response for Veterans and their families.

Responsibilities

• Communicate directly with emergency service providers and others, negotiating assistance by relaying critical facts (e.g., threat behavior, whether the Veteran has a gun)

• Collaborate with responders to obtain Veteran identity and location information to initiate rescue

• Act as the sole point of contact for VA Suicide Prevention Officers and coordinate with law enforcement, dispatch, hospital emergency rooms, and telecommunication companies

• Relay real-time information from responders to emergency dispatch, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel

• Provide progress updates to supervisors and immediately alert supervisors if barriers prevent emergency services delivery

• Make outbound calls to 911 dispatchers, emergency medical providers, and VA medical centers to confirm the Veteran was located, transported, or receiving treatment

• Contact community medical centers and VA medical centers to verify arrival based on the agreed Facility Transport Plan

• Document all contact attempts; escalate urgent/emergent situations to the supervisor

• Use multiple software programs and internet search engines concurrently to locate imminently suicidal Veterans; multitask in high-risk situations

• Receive inbound administrative calls and calls from Suicide Prevention Officers and answer questions, escalating emergent situations

• Relay law enforcement and dispatch information to VCL leadership to educate and advise on changes/trends in procedure and protocol

• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

A comprehensive federal benefits package is available; eligibility depends on the position type and whether it is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.