Program Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Brooklyn, NY

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The NY Harbor VA Healthcare System is hiring one Program Support Assistant at the Kings facility in the Mental Health Department. The incumbent serves as a primary administrative resource supporting inpatient, residential, outpatient, and community-based mental health programs and coordinates work among interdisciplinary teams and administrative services throughout the Mental Health Service.

The position supports administrative operations, calendars and meetings, correspondence, supplies, patient access and consult workflows, records, data systems, reporting, compliance tracking, and timekeeping. It also coordinates discharge appointments and follow-up services for Veterans transitioning from inpatient to outpatient mental health care when applicable, and helps ensure timely scheduling under VA Access Standards.

The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling, telework, and virtual work are not available. The position may be considered for a Veterans Health Administration Critical Skills Incentive; eligible candidates may receive a lump-sum incentive and must sign a service agreement with an obligated service period.

Applicants must meet the qualifications by the announcement closing date of November 2, 2026. Qualification requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-06, including experience with relevant VA automated systems, access and scheduling policies, privacy and records requirements, mental health terminology and care pathways, and program planning and analytical methods. There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Successful background/security investigation and completion of online onboarding.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
• Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06, including knowledge of VA automated systems such as CPRS, VistA, TMS, and consult management platforms.
• Knowledge of VA Access and Scheduling policy, VHA directives, Joint Commission standards, HIPAA, the Privacy Act, and VA Records Management requirements.
• Knowledge of mental health clinical terminology, diagnostic categories, and care pathways.
• Knowledge of program planning principles and analytical methods for compiling, interpreting, and presenting performance data, tracking compliance metrics, and identifying trends.
• Current federal employees and certain former federal employees applying at GS-07 must meet the 52-week GS-06 time-in-grade requirement and provide supporting SF-50 documentation.
• No educational substitution is available at this grade level.
• Work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; compressed or flexible scheduling is unavailable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate administrative workflow among Mental Health programs, Administrative Officers, clinical leadership, Health Administration Service, Human Resources, Information Technology, and other VA services.
• Manage leadership calendars and schedule, coordinate, and prepare materials for meetings, including Microsoft Teams conferences, town halls, and stakeholder committee meetings.
• Prepare, review, proofread, and distribute correspondence, memoranda, reports, and briefing materials; draft replies to correspondence as authorized by the supervisor.
• Maintain administrative supplies and initiate procurement requests through appropriate VA supply channels.
• Ensure HIPAA compliance and data security, and handle sensitive information in accordance with VA privacy policies and the Privacy Act.
• Coordinate consult management, patient access, scheduling, encounter completion, and related administrative workflows across Mental Health programs.
• Monitor workload, identify workflow delays and operational barriers, coordinate resolution of routine issues, and escalate matters requiring management action.
• Coordinate discharge appointments and follow-up services for Veterans transitioning from inpatient to outpatient mental health care when applicable.
• Contact patients to schedule appointments, communicate access and scheduling information, monitor patient access performance metrics, and ensure timely scheduling under VA Access Standards.
• Prepare and maintain consult management reports and oversee completion of patient care encounters, progress notes, unsigned notes, and clinical reports within established timeframes.
• Coordinate preparation and maintenance of the monthly When/ER Coverage schedule for Mental Health Service.
• Monitor, track, and maintain Mental Health records in accordance with VA Records Management policies, coordinating with the facility Records Manager and Privacy Officer.
• Manage and oversee data collection and entry in CPRS, VistA, and related electronic health record platforms; monitor statistical data entry and generate routine and ad hoc reports.
• Maintain master logs and tracking systems for compliance activities, audits, action items, workload management, and operational performance; identify trends, coordinate corrective actions, and provide operational information to the Administrative Officer and Mental Health leadership.
• Prepare and submit data for quarterly SOP 33 and CCC audits for Mental Health Brooklyn.
• Assist with annual reports, audits, suspense projects, and data pulls, and report information at local, VISN, and national levels as directed.
• Receive and screen telephone calls for Mental Health leadership, route calls appropriately, and assist callers professionally and courteously.
• Serve as backup timekeeper using the automated time and attendance reporting system, ensuring accurate and timely payroll submissions in coordination with the primary timekeeper.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Potential lump-sum Veterans Health Administration Critical Skills Incentive for eligible candidates, subject to a service agreement and applicable pro-rating.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed