Program Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Long Beach, CA

18d • Onsite

About The Position

The Program Support Assistant position is in the Care in the Community Service (CCS) at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. The incumbent provides program support and assistance to the Community Care Program on practical and technical aspects of office administration and other administrative support services. The position is part of a team of clinical and administrative staff coordinating accessible, quality care for Veterans across VA and non-VA settings.

The position provides advanced administrative support for CCS, managing consults and referrals, coordinating appointments and communications, obtaining non-VA medical documentation, and monitoring referral and appointment worklists. The incumbent uses electronic health record, scheduling, referral, documentation, communication, and office software systems. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Flexible or compressed scheduling may be available. This is not a virtual position. The role may be filled at GS-06 or GS-07; GS-06 is a developmental level, and promotion to the full performance level may occur without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Promotion is not guaranteed. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• GS-06: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-05, including experience applying administrative and fiscal procedures; collecting, tracking, and maintaining program data; assisting with authorizations, payments, referrals, or similar administrative actions; using automated databases, electronic records systems, and office automation software; coordinating with internal and external stakeholders; applying established policies, regulations, and procedures; preparing reports, correspondence, and administrative documents; and providing administrative support in a healthcare, customer-service, or program environment while resolving routine issues under general supervision.
• GS-07: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-06, including experience applying administrative and fiscal procedures; collecting, analyzing, and maintaining program data; processing authorizations and payments; using automated databases and healthcare information systems; coordinating with internal and external stakeholders; interpreting applicable policies and regulations; preparing reports and correspondence; and providing comprehensive administrative support in a fast-paced healthcare setting.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• Must complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation and must complete online onboarding and applicable pre-employment identification requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced administrative support to Care in the Community Service to facilitate timely care between VA and non-VA settings.
• Receive, review, and manage consults and referrals; verify administrative completeness and appropriate disposition; identify duplicate, incomplete, delayed, or time-sensitive requests; and refer clinical questions or matters requiring clinical judgment to licensed staff.
• Coordinate care among Veterans, VA providers, PACT teams, specialty clinics, CCS staff, community providers, hospitals, diagnostic facilities, and other authorized non-VA entities.
• Schedule, cancel, reschedule, confirm, and track appointments according to established procedures and Veteran preferences.
• Request, obtain, and route relevant non-VA medical documentation for clinical review.
• Monitor assigned consult queues, referral worklists, and appointment status to ensure timely action on pending, aging, cancelled, incomplete, or unresolved requests.
• Resolve routine administrative issues and escalate access barriers, authorization concerns, and matters requiring additional review.
• Prioritize and process urgent, emergent, and routine referrals; coordinate time-sensitive scheduling and facilitate timely access to authorized services.
• Respond professionally to telephone calls, secure messages, correspondence, and other inquiries from Veterans, family members, caregivers, VA staff, and external providers.
• Use electronic health record, scheduling, referral, documentation, and communication systems to process referrals, coordinate appointments, document actions, maintain records, and monitor follow-up.
• Participate in team huddles, interdisciplinary meetings, cross-training, process-improvement activities, and coverage assignments.
• Organize workload independently and adjust priorities to meet Veteran, team, and program needs.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits eligibility depends on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• VA may, upon request and approval before appointment, credit job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service toward the annual leave accrual rate; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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