Mental Health Program Specialist 1/Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee – (NY HELPS), Central Office;

The Office of Mental Health (OMH) is seeking a qualified candidate to fill a Mental Health Program Specialists 1 (G18) as part of a new unit focused on improving care and care transitions for individuals with complex needs throughout the continuum of care (inpatient psychiatry, CPEP, and within the community). The Mental Health Program Specialist I will work under the supervision of Mental Health Program Specialist 3 and the Mental Health Program Specialist 4 (Regional Lead).

The Mental Health Program Specialist 1 will provide hospital coordination, guidance and technical assistance to Article 31 and Articles 28 mental health emergency departments, CPEPS, and inpatient units around patient transport, evaluation, treatment, disposition, admission, and discharge. In addition, incumbents will provide technical assistance to the community mental health system providers on the development and maintenance of high quality programming to help improve outcomes for individuals with complex needs served in these programs. Incumbents will support local community operations within the geographic regions assigned, and a majority of the work with be field based at various provider agencies.

Specifically, under the close supervision of a higher-level Mental Health Program Specialist, incumbents may perform the following:

• Clarify standards of care for existing hospital activities/ protocols regarding psychiatric admission and discharge and modifying or establishing new policies/processes/ checklists as needed to create equity, systemic accountability, and standards for evaluation.
• Facilitate communication between various provider agencies.
• Assist in providing program and operational information.
• Assist higher level staff in providing guidance to hospital and community providers/programs, responding to provider inquires on service and programs, responding to provider inquires and requests for assistance.
• Assist higher level staff in providing technical assistance, case consultation and support to licensed or designated providers on complex cases.
• Support programs in identifying and navigating resources, providing assistance with systems navigation.
• Identify and report on systems barriers, challenges, and problem areas.
• With support review and monitor all required reports, including data collection, incident reports, expenditure reports, site visit summaries, corrective actions plans, to identify programmatic trends and challenges.
• May assist higher-level Mental Health Program Specialists in the prevention or resolution of issues among patients and local providers.
• Assist and advise Mental Health Program Specialist 3 with requests.
• Work in collaboration with field office staff and other departments on the monitoring.
• May identify or review programs for compliance issues, and communicate findings to the appropriate departments.
• Work with providers and other stakeholders, as well as coordinate efforts with other OMH divisions to address issues related to service delivery and implementation.
• Assist and support on specific special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Non-Competitive Minimum Qualifications Under the NY HELPS Program: This position includes an opportunity to serve in a traineeship and applicants will be appointed to the appropriate level based on their education and/or experience.

Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 1 (starting salary $57,764): A bachelor's degree in a qualifying field*.

Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 2 (starting salary $63,994): A bachelor's degree in a qualifying field* and one year of professional clinical or administrative experience in a federal or state operated, licensed, certified, or funded mental health program.+

Mental Health Program Specialist 1 (starting salary $70,951): A bachelor's degree in a qualifying field* and two years of professional clinical or administrative experience in a federal or state operated, licensed, certified, or funded mental health program.+

*Qualifying degree fields: A bachelor's degree in biology and all subspecialties of biology relating to human biology, child and family studies, counseling and community psychology, creative arts therapy, criminal justice, health administration, hospital administration, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, nursing, psychoanalysis, psychology, public administration, public health, public policy, recreation therapy, rehabilitation counseling, social work, sociology, or special education.

+A master's degree in child and family studies, counseling and community psychology, creative arts therapy, criminal justice, health administration, hospital administration, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, nursing, psychoanalysis, psychology, public administration, public health, public policy, recreation therapy, rehabilitation counseling, social work, sociology, or special education can substitute for one year of specialized experience.

Transfer Opportunity:

Candidates must have permanent competitive or 55b/c status as a Mental Health Program Specialist 1, Grade 18, and be eligible for lateral transfer; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law to the Mental Health Program Specialist 1 title; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law into the trainee levels (Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 1 or 2).

Transfer candidates must also possess a bachelor’s or higher degree in a qualifying degree field* listed above.

55b/c Opportunity:

Individuals certified eligible for the 55b/c program under the Governor’s Program to Hire Persons/Veterans with Disabilities pursuant to Section 55b/c of the Civil Service Law AND possess a bachelor’s or higher degree in a qualifying degree field* listed above.

Please provide a copy of your eligibility letter with your response.

PCO Opportunity:

Individuals who are active on the current 2022 holding of the PCO eligible list who possess a bachelor’s or higher degree in one of the fields listed above and are interested in this vacancy, but did not receive a canvass letter, are encouraged to apply. Please note this in your cover letter.

Candidates with clinical background and/or prior hospital experience are preferred for these roles.