Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees. Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1. Current Permanent VA Employees of the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center. 2. All other VA employees.

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The Chief of Mental Health (MH) is responsible for all aspects of administration and clinical aspects of the services delivered in Mental Health Service (MHS) . Maintains primary responsibility for all aspects of administration in MHS in the relationship to the VA Medical Center at large.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:

• Responsible for day-to-day management and operational oversight of the Mental Health Service.
• Provides leadership, guidance, and coordination of multidisciplinary staff to ensure the provision of comprehensive and quality services to meet the needs of Veterans served.
• Supervises a group of employees performing work at various levels and across organizational units, specialty areas and programs providing administrative, personnel, technical and clinical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit/service including outreach efforts and efforts at other sites within a Health Care System.
• Organizes and leads leadership team meetings to meet organizational goals.
• Plans work to be accomplished by team leaders and program managers, including establishing priorities, timelines for completion and necessary adjustments therein.
• Ensures optimal collaboration across program teams, to include effective communication, resource sharing, and transfer of patients across a continuum of services.
• Monitors compliance of program managers, coordinators, team leaders and members with VA performance measures and effectively shapes provider practice patterns to improve standing on performance measures.
• Functions as the supervisor of record for MH Supervisory team members, establishing guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system.
• Observes workers' performance and demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques.
• Provides clinical supervision.
• Resolves formal and informal complaints and grievances.
• Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary.
• Provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters.
• Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area.
• Ensures timely access to care of patients assigned to each team, in accordance with local and national policies.
• Conducts ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects that monitor the effectiveness of clinical operations within their respective program(s).
• Develops and implements information systems to track service activities including visits, referrals, inpatient days, patient demographics, equipment utilization and patient satisfaction. - Has oversight for various fund control points assigned to the Mental Health Service. The incumbent manages and controls the use of data related to these programs regarding the day-to-day functioning and program evaluation.
• Provides leadership in hiring of new staff members for each program, which may include constructing job announcement(s), preparing functional statements or position descriptions, rating applications, interviewing and selecting final job candidates.
• Deploys resources within programs, based on a data-driven decision-making process with consideration given to the overall needs of the organization and Service Line (e.g., productivity, clinic utilization, staffing needs, barriers to access, etc.).
• Oversees survey readiness for all programs in their respective section
• Coordinates closely with the assigned administrative partner to ensure section administrative support, human resource, strategic planning, space and budget needs are met.
• Completes suspense actions related to the management area.
• Performs a wide range of services and provides technical assistance to state, local, and private agencies, and universities
• Performs program analysis, development, review, research, design, and contact work as possible with various agencies (public, DOD, state, etc).
• Provides treatment for beneficiaries with general psychiatric disorders in a variety of treatment.
• Provides a comprehensive psychiatric summary.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR
  [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR
  (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
  Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.