The Program Assistant (Environmental Health Coordinator) is located in the Primary Care Service and is responsible for providing a variety of significant administrative, analytical and technical functions, tasks and special programs with respect to evaluations of Veterans, in order to, initiate a claim for benefits due to exposure to environmental hazards during military tenure.

Duties

Records Management (45%) : -Serve as the subject matter expert on environmental exposures. -Attend Post Deployment Health Services/War Related Illness and Injury Study Center Environmental Health Clinicians and Coordinators Education Conference, Webinars and other training to increase knowledge about exposures to environmental hazards. -Provide detailed information to Veterans and their family members on environmental exposures during military service and associated health effects. -Develops and displays educational program information for various environmental issues and health outcomes related to military exposure. -Attends local (i.e., VA Town Hall) and community outreach events and participates in network development. Registry Maintenance (20%) : -Ensures follow-up letters have been generated to Veterans communicating the results of their registry exams and any recommended follow-up. -Establishes Veteran's health records to include registry examination data, treatment, updates, retains and modifies these records subject to retention and disposition policies regulated by Records Control Schedule (RCS) 10-1 and appropriate VHA Handbooks. -Writes facility policy memoranda and SOPs on the Environmental Health programs. -Keeps VA facility staff informed of any policy or procedural changes to the Environmental Health programs. -Ensures compliance with federal regulations and directives with respect to the Environmental Health programs. Customer Service (15%) : -Maintains daily contacts (face-to-face, telephone, e-mail, correspondence, etc) with Veterans, family members, Veterans Service Organization, public officials to explain VA policies and procedures. -Interviews Veterans, determines eligibility for Environmental Health Registry exams, provides explanation of the purpose of the examination, and the examination process and assists Veterans in completing the appropriate examination worksheet. -Refers Veterans to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) if interested in filing a claim for service connection. General Administrative (10%) : -Keeps Environmental Health clinician and other administrative staff informed on all matters pertaining to daily office functioning and alerts the EH clinician and other administrative staff informed on all matters pertaining to daily office functioning and alerts the EH clinician and other administrative staff on concerns related to office management. -Ensures follow-up for the EH clinician and other appropriate staff re: outstanding correspondence, initiatives, and meetings. -Oversees and monitors the regular tracking of staff education and training. -Works closely with other administrative staff and other offices to coordinate interoffice meetings and communications. -Prepares summary report, memorandums, official letters, etc., in response to requirements or tasks on behalf of the EH clinician or designee. Compliance (5%) : -Monitors compliance with timeframe requirements and explores other options if timeliness requirement cannot be met. Conference Attendance (5%): -Participates in VACO Environmental Agents Service Environmental Health Coordinator and Clinician quarterly telephone conferences. -Advises the Post Deployment Health Services of any changes in Environmental Health Coordinators or Clinicians so that e-mail distribution groups and the internal directory of Environmental Health Coordinators can be updated. -Participates in nationwide teleconferences conducted by Post Deployment Health Services to keep abreast of new developments and new reports. -Collects data, submits reports, and completes surveys as required by Post Development Health Services. -Performs other duties as assigned. Promotion Potential: The full-performance level of this position is GS-07. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Assistant (Environmental Health Coordinator)/PD706330 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 10/17/2024. 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 within 30 days of 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: performing a wide variety of clerical and administrative support duties; maintaining records and databases; collecting and analyzing data and information; and utilizing computer software such as Microsoft to compose correspondence and create spreadsheets, reports, charts and/or graphs, serve as a subject matter expert on environmental exposures, recommending improvements to programs to better accommodate Veterans, possess a comprehensive knowledge of available resources to identify, gather and calculate the specific requested information for unique targeted inquires, experience with performing analytical and evaluative work in support of the Environmental Health Program. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: AccountabilityAdministration and ManagementCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Database AdministrationEducation and Training Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as periods of walking, standing or sitting within the assigned clinic areas. Some bending, climbing of stairs and lifting of medical records or forms/supplies as required. The quantity and variety of clinical staff contacts require that the position can respond to multiple complex issues and establish priority as the situation demands. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in adequate lighted, climate-controlled outpatient areas responsible for interviewing, scheduling examinations, consultations, and treatment regimen for Veteran patients with a wide variety of conditions. Numerous activities and distractions characterize the work. There may be occasional circumstances where the position would require time spent outdoors during the outreach event. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4815 North Assembly Street Spokane, WA 99205 US
• Name: Tami Sweet
• Phone: 916-213-9783
• Email: [email protected]