Duties
The Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of Mental Health (MH) is responsible for the overall clinical, administrative, and programmatic operations of the Mental Health Service. The Mental Health (MH) Service Line at VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) includes General MH in the Behavioral Health Integration Program (BHIP) and Specialty MH including Inpatient MH, specialty PTSD services, specialty substance use disorder services, residential care, Suicide Prevention Program, Workplace Violence Prevention program, Psychology Training program, and the Homeless program.
Duties for the position may include but are not limited to:
- Applies knowledge of state of the art, evidence-based practice of mental health and organized treatment programs including a familiarity with all disciples that provide mental health treatment.
- Has supervisory responsibility for subordinates and is responsible for all professional, management, and administrative aspects of mental health services.
- Responsible for all administrative action associated with mental health including tracking and evaluating staff's workload and productivity, Action Items related to mental health, creating, implementing and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures related to all aspects of mental health services, documentation of clinical services and workload, performance improvement tasks, compliance with VA performance measures, meeting all appropriate strategic goas, compliance with requirements for follow up of Veterans who miss clinical appointments, ensuring utilization of resources, etc.
- Responsible for timely completion of all program evaluations and documents required by Medical Center, VISN and VACO, ensuring compliance with appropriate bodies (such as CARF and The Joint Commission) and monitoring entities.
- Participates as chair of Mental Health programmatic oversight for Mental Health services in all VA PIHCS sites of care.
- Support all existing safety and infection control practices relevant to this position.
- Directs the continuous measurement and improvement of the quality, timeliness and patient satisfaction with mental health care provided by the service.
- Plans, coordinates and ensure high quality, timely, patient centered care through utilization of multiple quality measurement tools.
- Improves patient outcomes through implementation of strategies such as clinical practice guidelines and critical pathways, health risk assessment, provider profiling etc.
- Provides continuing surveillance of the professional performance of all providers.
- Provides active strategic decision-making and organizational planning, including budgetary and financial oversight.
- Plans initiatives and develops programs in collaboration with other services.
- Stays abreast of and educates staff about changing conditions in health care.
- Demonstrates commitment to the Medical Centers goals and patient centered care.
- Other related duties as assigned.
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package:
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Work Schedule: Full Time; Monday - Friday; 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
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.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/15/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12756922.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.