Program Support Assistant - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program/CBOC
What you'd do
This position works directly for the Mental Health Service line and supports the Behavior Health interdisciplinary program and various community-based programs that require a significant amount of independence and a moderate level or analytical and/or critical decision-making ability. This PSA position will provide support and technical advice on clinical Admin systems to the program manager/coordinator and may be associated with or assigned to support other programs within Mental Health.
Major duties
Major duties include but are not limited to: Interacts effectively with a wide range of people, including professionals, Veterans and their Families. Coordinates care with all services in medical center; must possess a high degree of interpersonal skills, adaptability and flexibility to work closely with these services. Assists providers changing/canceling clinics, ensuring patients are taken care of in a timely manner. Communicates effectively with all services, patients and their families. Coordinates procedures & follow-up care timely and accurately. Works as a team member and as a team leader to insure changes are relayed to others appropriately. Arranges ordered evaluations & treatment with other supporting disciplines within the medical center, scheduling these for timely completion and prevention of scheduling conflicts. Collecting data, conducting analysis and reporting on program effectiveness and performance. Performs comprehensive analysis and evaluation, taking into consideration factors such as cost effectiveness, attainment of project goals and objectives, and compliance with pertinent guidelines. Conducts studies of efficiency and productivity and recommends changes or improvements in organization, staffing, work methods and procedures. Initiates/coordinates repairs, maintenance, safety corrections; maintains supplies, bulletin boards and files. Collects, compiles and analyzes data for Behavioral Health Services for use in developing, and participating in, process improvement projects that lead to more efficient, effective, value-added service. Gathers productivity data using multiple databases, including Vista, VA Support Service Center (VSSC) and Managerial Cost Accounting (MCA), while identifying trends, creating quarterly program report cards and tracking employee workload. Presents this data to Mental Health leadership on a quarterly basis. Documents program inconsistencies and/or anomalies and prepares management reports and recommendations to resolve issues (i.e., periodic SWOT analysis). Analyzes, evaluates, and oversees clinic access management, systems redesign, and performance measurement (PM). Monitors & assists with services' timely completion of Return to clinic orders, encounters and consults. Monitors the overall clinical operations, analyzing clinic schedules and profiles to assure timely access to care for Veterans. Actively listens to others and demonstrates understanding to those speaking with them. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Telework eligible in accordance with agency policy (AD-HOC) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program/CBOC/PD14857A and PD14856A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Requirements: The work is generally sedentary and requires being able to sit for prolonged periods of time, sometimes for long periods, walk, stoop, bend to file, and carry moderately heavy loads of supplies, books, equipment, etc., employee must be able to carry documents and sometimes equipment to other clinics on different floors of the facility. The position does require emotional stability to handle complex and/or demanding situations, challenging Veteran behaviors, multiple demands and a high volume of workflow. The position will also require a valid driver's license and ability to drive as needed to include the ability to positively complete government vehicle driver training requirements
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/25/2026. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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: To qualify for the GS-6, applicant must meet the following criteria Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Detail-oriented professional able to work under pressure, prioritize tasks, manage multiple assignments, and apply strong communication skills in writing, editing, and organization. Possesses knowledge of severe mental illness, mental health care delivery systems, and program-supportive principles. Highly skilled in data collection, analysis, and applying analytical tools and statistical methods to develop and implement data-driven processes and recommendations. Capable of clearly presenting findings and assisting in educating Mental Health Admin staff, Program Managers, Administrative Officers, and leadership to support project implementation and quality improvement. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish rapport with staff, patients, and internal/external customers, and effectively communicate complex research data both verbally and in writing. Proficient in composition, grammar, formatting, and software such as Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, Outlook, and VISTA; maintains strong customer service principles, teamwork, and strict confidentiality. 40 words per minute typing speed required. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 4 years above high school. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. To qualify for the GS-7, applicant must meet the following criteria Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Detail-oriented professional able to work under pressure, prioritize tasks, and manage multiple assignments simultaneously with strong communication skills in writing, editing, and organizing information. Possesses knowledge of severe mental illness, mental health care delivery systems, and program-supporting methodologies. Highly skilled in data collection, analysis, and applying analytical tools and statistical methods to develop actionable processes and recommendations. Capable of presenting clear, well-defined findings and assisting in educating Mental Health Admin staff, Program Managers, Administrative Officers, and relevant leadership. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport with staff, patients, and internal/external stakeholders while effectively communicating complex research data verbally and in writing. Proficient in written composition, grammar, formatting for publication, and software tools such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Creative Suite, Outlook, and VISTA; maintains confidentiality and adheres to customer service and team principles. 40 words per minute typing speed required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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. 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/.
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