Program Specialist VI
This is a grant funded time-limited position.

Incidents of mass violence have a devastating effect on communities. When they occur, communities depend on their local resources to respond effectively and efficiently. Disaster Behavioral Health Coordination (DBHC) is using funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to develop and enhance community mental health emergency preparedness and response plans across the state of Texas. DBHC will use a readiness framework that defines readiness as the intersection of when preparedness (i.e., planning, drilling and exercising) targets have been met and the organization is willing and able to effectively leverage their newfound capacity and capability against an MVI.

Under the direction of the Assistant Director of Disaster Behavioral Health Coordination (DBHC), the Readiness Specialist performs advanced consultative, training and technical assistance work in the implementation of the statewide BSCA grant. The Readiness Specialist will assist local mental and behavioral health authorities (LMHA/LBHAs) with: (1) developing and implementing Mass Violence Incident (MVI) Toolkits, (2) developing strategies to integrate mental health and victim services into an emergency operation plans and (3) identifying, developing and maintaining multidisciplinary partnerships that strengthen community response and recovery capacity, commonly referred to as a multidisciplinary community action plan (MCAP).

Activities:
Performs highly complex, advanced (senior-level) consultative services, training and technical assistance work to help LMHA/LBHAs with all three phases of readiness. Work is heavily focused on development and implementation of Readiness, Response, Resiliency (R3) Toolkits. These toolkits are a means by which LMHA/LBHAs will actively begin to assess their community and its capacity to provide mental health services following an MVI. The toolkits will also serve as a means to identify and engage integral community partners and build supportive collaborations and alliances. Activities will include conducting Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) reviews; coordinating and providing instruction at educational workshops; assisting the LMHA/LBHAs in fostering and cultivating community partnership; coordinating and facilitating MCAP meetings; providing regional monitoring and technical assistance visits on a consistent, scheduled basis to assigned LMHA/LBHAs; and evaluating process and practices.

Essential Job Functions:

Toolkits – Develops, coordinates and facilitates the disaster behavioral health preparedness toolkit development program; facilitates workshops and meetings to develop individualized toolkits; Advises LMHA/LBHAs on EOP principles, process, form, function and content (FFC); Assist in the development and implementation of multi-hazard comprehensive emergency plans; Assist in the revision and update of the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) to include collaboration with MCAP members; Assists in the training emergency operations and preparedness functions; Assists in the planning, coordinating and executing of drills and exercises to test EOPs and prepare the community for effective response to MVIs. (30%)

Multidisciplinary Community Action Plan – Assist in the Multidisciplinary Committee Identification and Engagement: identification of key partners that will be activated as leadership in their respective roles and will have the authority to make decisions and allocate resources; Give guidance on how to assemble a multidisciplinary planning committee that represents systems and community-based agencies and organizations; Assist to coordinate MCAP meetings and content development; In coordination with other DBHC staff, develops marketing and outreach/public relations products as well as public awareness resources; Perform regional follow-up case management: conduct check-in meetings, assess technical assistance needs, and conduct on-site visits to monitor, provide targeted support and guidance, check status/progress on MCAP and Toolkit assembly. (30%)

Daily Operations – Plans, develops, maintains policies and standard operating procedures related to the DBHC BSCA program; assists in the development of program metrics i.e. outputs, outcomes, key performance indicators; Measures program effectiveness and recommends and implements practice enhancements and process improvements; Assists with the development and implementation of DBHC BSCA grant objectives as it relates to readiness, response and recovery; Creates and maintains a tracking database of the BSCA Program to include trainings, evaluations and other activities; Researches best practices in MVI R3; Drafts reports, and other documentation required by agencies at local, state, and federal levels. Drafts and coordinates information and communications related to legislative responses and reports, public presentations, correspondence, and memoranda for internal and external representatives. (30%)

Performs other duties as assigned. (10%)

This position must have the ability to travel 40% or as needed to accomplish program and agency mission.

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy

Individual is required to monitor program communications via iPhone, text message and email and promptly respond accordingly.

Please be prepared to complete a 5-minute presentation during interview

Knowledge Skills Abilities:

Knowledge of federal and state disaster behavioral health planning, response and recovery programs and services.

Knowledge of preparedness, planning, and mitigation as it relates to the disaster life cycle.

Knowledge of the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System.

Knowledge of Trauma Informed Care and/or DBH early psychological interventions; including but not limited to Psychological First Aid, and critical incident stress management modalities.

Knowledge of Texas Health and Human Service Commission's policies and procedures.

Knowledge of the community mental health services system in Texas

Knowledge of adult learning protocols and experience delivering training to adult audiences.

Knowledge of the principles, process, form, function and content (FFC) of Emergency Operations Plans (EOP).

Knowledge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Crisis Counseling and Training Assistance Program, Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Office for Victims of Crime’s Victims of Crime Act as it relates to mass violence recovery modalities and DBH planning, response.

Knowledge of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and/or the

Skills:

Skill in training adult learners.

Skill in public speaking

Strong interpersonal communications skills

Skills with Microsoft software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

Skill with SharePoint and Visio preferred.

Skill in meeting facilitation

Skill in gathering, assembling, correlating, and analyzing data from multiple sources for inclusion in reports and/or grant applications.

Skill developing and writing business processes, policies, and procedures.

Skill developing contract statements of work and monitoring compliance with contract deliverables.

Skills in developing, preparing, reviewing and delivering presentations, trainings, briefings, and reports to diverse audiences on DBH, disaster response and immediate recovery-related issues, programs, projects, and/or grants and associated correspondence.

Abilities:

Ability to work long hours under stressful and tight deadlines in support of DBH response and recovery operations/activities.

Ability to accurately perform duties under stressful conditions with strict deadlines and competing priorities.

Ability to organize and coordinate work within scheduling constraints, competing priorities and handle emergent requirements in a timely manner.

Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences both orally and in writing.

Ability to develop and deliver trainings, briefings, and presentations to diverse audiences using Microsoft software including PowerPoint and Excel or similar programs.

Ability to use initiative to develop solutions to barriers or problems.

Ability to make independent and sound technical judgments and to analyze new situations when encountered.

Ability to create and maintain accurate records on multiple programs, projects, and grant documents.

Registration or Licensure Requirements:
Current Driver License

Initial Selection Criteria:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in human services field, business, or public administration plus, three (3) years of relevant work experience.

Preferred:
Advanced degree in human services preferred and two (2) years experience and knowledge of effectively facilitating large meetings, conducting training, and program/project monitoring. Experience in HHS Enterprise.

Additional related work experience may substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Experience with large systems change initiatives preferred

Completion of FEMA courses IS-100, IS-200, IS-550, IS-700 and IS-800, is preferred. If not completed prior to onboarding, they should be completed within 30 days of hire.

Knowledge and/or training in and utilization of DBH early psychological interventions and/or DBH planning, response, and/or recovery programs or processes.

DBHC is currently 100% telework, with occasional, scheduled office visits as directed by leadership. Telework is governed in accordance with agency and division telework policy and is subject to change at the discretion of leadership.

Ability to travel 40% or as needed, with little to no notice, to accomplish program and agency mission.

Ability to work the hours 8 AM – 5PM, Monday through Friday, and be flexible to work alternate work hours as needed

Additional Information:
**Please be prepared to complete a 5-minute presentation during the interview **

This job announcement will be used to fill multiple vacancies. Positions advertised with this position description are temporary and will only be filled through the duration of the grant cycle.

Ability to work the hours 8 AM – 5PM, Monday through Friday, and be flexible to work alternate work hours as needed. This job announcement will be used to fill multiple vacancies. Job may require working beyond normal work hours including holidays and weekends, to complete the BSCA deliverables.

Individual is required to monitor program communications via iPhone, text message and email and promptly respond accordingly.

Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified of selection results.


In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.

MOS Code:
4COX1, 001387, 2720, 3E900, OAR18, 68X

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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.