Program Support Assistant

Summary

The NY Harbor VA Healthcare System has 1 vacancy for a Program Support Assistant at the Kings facility within the Mental Health Department. The incumbent serves as a primary administrative resource supporting inpatient, residential, outpatient, and community-based mental health programs while facilitating coordination among interdisciplinary teams and administrative services throughout the Mental Health Service.

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Duties

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Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Coordinates administrative workflow activities among Mental Health programs, Administrative Officers, clinical leadership, Health Administration Service, Human Resources, Information Technology, and other VA services to facilitate efficient operations and timely resolution of routine administrative issues.
• Manages and maintains leadership calendars; schedules, coordinates, and prepares materials for weekly and monthly meetings, including Microsoft Teams video conferences, town halls, and stakeholder committee meetings.
• Prepares, reviews, proofreads, and distributes a variety of administrative documents including correspondence, memoranda, reports, memos, and briefing materials. Drafts replies to incoming correspondence as authorized by the supervisor.
• Maintains an adequate level of administrative supplies for the service and initiates procurement requests as needed through appropriate VA supply channels.
• Ensures HIPAA compliance and data security in all administrative functions; manages sensitive information in accordance with VA privacy policies and the Privacy Act.
• Coordinates consult management, patient access, scheduling activities, encounter completion, and related administrative workflows across multiple Mental Health programs. Monitors workload, identifies workflow delays or operational barriers, coordinates resolution of routine issues with program staff, and escalates matters requiring management action.
• Coordinates discharge appointments for Veterans transitioning from inpatient to outpatient mental health care when applicable, ensuring timely scheduling of follow-up services across clinical disciplines, community providers, and VA programs.
• Contacts patients directly to schedule appointments and communicates access and scheduling information clearly; monitors patient access performance metrics and ensures timely scheduling in compliance with VA Access Standards.
• Prepares and maintains consult management reports; oversees completion of patient care encounters, progress notes, unsigned notes, and clinical reports within timeframes established by supervisory staff.
• Coordinates the preparation and maintenance of the monthly When/ER Coverage schedule for Mental Health Service.
• Monitors, tracks, and maintains MH records in accordance with VA Records Management policies, working in coordination with the facility Records Manager and Privacy Officer.
• Manages and oversees data collection and entry into VA automated systems including CPRS, VistA, and related electronic health record platforms. Monitors correct entry of statistical data and generates routine and ad hoc reports as directed.
• Maintains master logs and tracking systems supporting compliance activities, audits, action items, workload management, and operational performance across multiple Mental Health programs.
• Identifies trends requiring follow-up, coordinates corrective actions with responsible staff, and provides operational information to the Administrative Officer and Mental Health leadership.
• Prepares and submits data for quarterly SOP 33 and CCC audits for Mental Health Brooklyn.
• Assists in the creation of annual reports, audits, suspense projects, and data pulls; reports information at various levels from local to VISN and national as directed.
• Receives and screens all telephone calls for MH leadership; exercises judgment in routing calls appropriately to the Director, Chief of Psychiatry, or Administrative Officer. Provides information and assistance to callers in a professional and courteous manner.
• Serves as backup timekeeper for MH using the automated time and attendance reporting system; ensures accurate and timely payroll submissions in coordination with the primary timekeeper.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Not available.

Telework: Not available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/ PD630-14126

This occupation is being considered for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive (CSI). Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI. The amount of lump sum CSI is determined based on appointment date and may be pro-rated as determined by the end date of the CSI. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI.

This occupation is currently approved for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive through [insert date]. Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI for a pro-rated amount if onboard prior to the CSI expiration date. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI.

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.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not 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, 11/02/2026.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 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: Comprehensive knowledge of VA automated systems including CPRS, VistA, TMS, and consult management platforms sufficient to independently identify errors, resolve access discrepancies, generate analytical reports, and ensure data integrity across the service. Knowledge of VA Access and Scheduling policy, VHA Directives, Joint Commission standards, HIPAA, the Privacy Act, and VA Records Management requirements is required not merely to follow procedures, but to interpret and apply them to non-standard situations, such as determining appropriate consult routing for urgent mental health referrals or coordinating multi-disciplinary discharge plans for Veterans with complex care needs. Knowledge of mental health clinical terminology, diagnostic categories, and care pathways sufficient to communicate meaningfully with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nursing staff; triage administrative issues with clinical implications; and prepare technically accurate reports and correspondence on behalf of service leadership. Knowledge of program planning principles and analytical methods is required to compile, interpret, and present performance data, track compliance metrics, and identify trends requiring corrective action.

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.

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: 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:

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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

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.