Program Support Assistant

Summary

This position is organizationally located in the Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine Service Line at the Wilkes Barre Medical Center, under the supervision of the Mental Health Associate Chief of Staff.

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Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Assists in the initiation or revision of administrative policies in the professional services.
• Collects data, prepares clinic grids, analysis of data for Pay for Performance for physicians.
• Responsible for the overall maintenance of the provider credentialing and performance binders along with Periodic Performance Review (PPR) entry.
• Patient Centered Management Model (PCMM) assignments and maintenance of PCMM. Aligning staff and patient in PCMM according to the leadership guidelines. Assisting in Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Partners (BHIP) Team Modifications and BHIP team meeting coordination.
• Primary timekeeping duties for mental health staff in VA Time and Attendance System (VATAS).
• Responsible for oversight of completion of provider educational requirements as a Talent Management System Administrator .
• Supports, coordinates, and assists the respective Associate Chief Of Staff, Administrative Officer and Community Based Outpatient Clinic Program Manager in optimizing appointment access and clinic utilization.
• Responds to all Mental Health Service Line requests from Human Resources to ensure the incoming and outgoing staff are registered in Electronic Permission Access System (ePAS), proper computer keys, and appropriate access is assigned.
• Assists providers with mandatory paperwork and process for obtaining approved travel andtraining, incumbent will track both training and travel activity.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/ PD025060

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although routine walking is required in order to be presentin clinics when needed, some slight physical effort may be required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/19/2026.

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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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.

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-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: but are not limited to developing and recommending ways to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and timeliness of work operations; scheduling, coordinating, planning and maintaining various events and calendars for meetings, committees and conferences; utilizing word processing, spreadsheet and database software; performing timekeeping functions for a large group of employees; purchasing, certifying and reconciling office supplies, services and invoices.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

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

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.