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Program Assistant - Psychiatry

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Serves as a Program Assistant in the Mental Health Service Line at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

Overview

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Job canceled
Posted 06/10/21
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$50,476 - $65,621 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Term
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
CBTD-11143121-21-KR
Control number
604312000

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Duties

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The position's program responsibilities extend to all the various subspecialties within the Errera Firm including Homelessness, Crisis Intervention, Housing, Peer Support Specialists, Family Services, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC), Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM), Mental Health Intensive Case Management-Rural )MHICM Range), Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO), Grant and Per diem (GPD), HPACT, Vocational Services, Substance Abuse, Suicide Prevention, PSR Fellowship and Resident Training Program as well as activities associated with the Mental Health CBOC Clinics and the Administrative Offices of the Chief of Mental Health. There are training affiliations and trainees rotating on a yearly basis.

Some duties may include:

  • Prepares and/or assists in the initiation and/or revision of administrative policies in the professional services of the Errera Center.
  • Assist Program managers with compiling Veteran satisfaction surveys and prepares them for accreditation teams
  • Coordinate and provide ongoing training/ scheduling staff development.
  • Assists in Data analysis for generating required reports for local program Directors and program managers.
  • Develop workflow charts, graphs to track trends.
  • Creates, maintains, oversees and schedules using Errera Share point for all room scheduling requests.
  • Coordinates with Program Managers and Directors, CARF materials and JCAHO data for accreditation
  • Works with Program management team leaders to develop short and long range goals and coordinates for Performance Improvement Planning.
  • Coordinate with Performance Improvement Chair at Annex for monthly reporting and statistical analysis of outcome measures.
  • Oversees, supervises, interviews, tracks and trains the Volunteers, work study students, and summer students for the Errera Annex.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 08:00 am - 4:30 pm
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Assistant - Psychiatry/PD689-02793-0
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/01/2021.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Oversees, supervises, interviews, tracks and trains the Volunteers, work study students, and summer students for the Errera Annex. Coordinate with Performance Improvement Chair at Annex for monthly reporting and statistical analysis of outcome measures. Works with Program management team leaders to develop short and long range goals and coordinates for Performance Improvement Planning. Coordinates with Program Managers and Directors, CARF materials and JCAHO data for accreditation. Creates, maintains, oversees and schedules using Errera Share point for all room scheduling requests. Develop workflow charts, graphs to track trends. Assists in Data analysis for generating required reports for local program Directors and program managers. Coordinate and provide ongoing training/ scheduling staff development. AND,
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Analysis and Problem Solving - Applies the process of discovery that involves the diagnosis of a problem or issue, identification
    and gathering of relevant information, formulation and evaluation of alternative solutions or
    courses of action, and selection or recommendation of the preferred solution or course of
    action.
  • Forward Thinking - Anticipates the implications and consequences of situations and takes appropriate action to be
    prepared for possible contingencies; Notices trends and develops plans as appropriate;
    Anticipates how individuals and groups will react to situations or information and plans
    accordingly.
  • Organizational Stewardship - Takes responsibility and initiative, sets and meets priorities, follows through on commitments,
    safeguards information, and organizes and uses time and resources to achieve desired results.

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: The work involves a normal amount of sitting, walking, standing, carrying, etc. There is extensive use of a VDT and a keyboard. The position may be stressful due to the scope of the position and the complexity of the clinical service.

Work Environment: The work is performed in offices and meeting rooms. Some travel may be required as this position is located off site from the two main campus locations of VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE").

As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the Nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities. For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to http://www.vacareers.va.gov/

Agency contact information

Dawn Langston
Phone
(203) 932-5711 X3000
Email
Dawn.Langston@va.gov
Address
West Haven VA Medical Center
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
US

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