Employee Assistance Program Specialist, Gs-0185-12

Summary
This position is located in Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, Health, Safety and Work-Life (HSWL), DCMS, LOGCOM, Base Seattle, Warrenton, OR.
This job is open to

• Individuals with disabilities
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Land & base management
  Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
• Military spouses
• Family of overseas employees
  Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• Special authorities
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
Status Candidates, Merit Promotion, Current Federal Employees, Former Federal Employees, Overseas Employees, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VEOA, 30% Disabled, Schedule A, Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, Land and Base Management, Peace Corps, Americorps, Vista
For definitions of common terms found in this announcement: http://dhsconnect.dhs.gov/org/comp/mgmt/dhshr/hr/Documents/JOA_Common_Definitions.pdf
This job is also open in another announcement to:

• Federal employees - Competitive service
• The public

This job is also open in another announcement to:

• Federal employees - Competitive service
• The public

Duties
The incumbent will serve as an Employee Assistance Program Specialist, responsible for collaboration with CGSUPRT, provision of pre- and post-deployment briefings, suicide prevention trainings, resiliency trainings, psychological first aid and/or operational stress control trainings, workplace violence response efforts, critical/traumatic incident response duties, and evidence-based management of personnel readiness issues impacting units and commands.
Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

• Developing, coordinating, implementing, and documenting marketing campaigns, trainings, and education and prevention activities for all areas of responsibility to include the Employee Assistance Program, suicide and other forms of violence prevention, resilience, peer support, operational stress control, and critical/traumatic incident response.
• Promoting total workforce fitness to optimize health, performance, risk-reduction, prevention, resilience, and readiness.
• Demonstrating a full understanding of the intersecting stressors of work and home life, oftentimes in austere environments, to best support the USCG community.
• Using a broad range of diverse and complex techniques and methods in a variety of settings and environments; the range of interventions include but is not limited to screening, assessment, and brief solution-focused, non-medical counseling; on-the-spot de-escalation support; and appropriate referrals for treatment and/or rehabilitation services in the community including nonprofit organizations and agencies.
• Providing EAP support to individuals, families, units or the USCG in response to interpersonal and self-directed violence including incidents of suicides and suicide attempts, threatening behavior, workplace/domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault/harassment/stalking.
• Recruiting and training CG members (military or civilian), as prescribed by USCG policy, to support operational stress control objectives and critical/traumatic incident response efforts.
• Leading CISM teams that are formed following large-scale events. Advising the team on local issues, considerations and resources when making determinations about best critical/traumatic incident responses.
• Providing psychological first aid or other appropriate evidence-based critical incident response interventions.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• The position requires a valid state driver's license.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• This position requires a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI)
• Applicant is required to meet the physical requirements of the position.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. This includes Time-In-Grade requirements for current status employees applying through merit promotion procedures. Status applicants applying for a promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade.
Qualifications
To qualify for the position, applicants must meet the Basic requirement of the position.
Basic Requirement
Degree: Social work. Must fulfill all of the requirements for the master's degree in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
AND
In addition to the basic education requirements above, applicants must also possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level (in the Federal service). Examples of specialized experience include: Publicizing Employee Assistance Program services and ensuring supervisor and employees received training on how to access and use EAP services; utilizing a variety of interventions and treatment modalities including individual and group counseling, marital and couples counseling, family counseling, crisis intervention, and where appropriate, providing information and referrals for additional evaluation and care; conducting intensive follow-up services to assist employees in reaching and/or maintaining their counseling goals.
Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.
Must have a minimum of a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
**You must upload transcripts with your application.
Must possess and maintain a current, unrestricted, independent, advanced practice clinical social work licensee.g., Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), or equivalentand be able to provide a copy of the license for verification at the time of the job application.
Possess and maintain a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) certification within 12 months of employment or adoption of the position description.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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; religious; 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.
Education
This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here
Additional information
Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, or imprisonment.
DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities at click here
Recruitment incentives may be authorized.
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 206-815-3023. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(K)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and development opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits". Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your résumé and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using the on-line self-assessment questions that are based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

1. Skill in delivering EAP services and a high degree of acumen in analytical skills, program management, clinical behavioral health programs, crisis intervention skills and interpersonal communication.
2. Knowledge of assessment and intervention techniques, methods, forms, and procedures to conduct initial interviews with employees and gather and analyze information to determine the appropriate service for the presenting issue/problem.
3. Knowledge of social services delivery systems and concepts, principles, theories relating specifically to suicide prevention/awareness, critical/traumatic incident response, and other areas of interpersonal violence and trauma to provide timely and appropriate education, prevention, and intervention efforts.
4. Ability to communicate orally and in writing with diverse individuals/groups using varied delivery systems in order to resolve program conflicts, inform and educate senior leadership, and lead team efforts.
5. Knowledge and skills to address problems in relationships and perform a variety of tasks required for the administration of an EAP, including how it supports other workplace programs such as the Drug-Free Workforce Program; Family Advocacy Program; Sexual Assault Prevention, Response and Recovery Program; and others.

Your resume and responses to the self-assessment questions are an integral part of the process for determining your qualifications for the position. Therefore, you must support your responses to the self-assessment questions by providing examples of past and present experience in your resume.
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.
Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in ...