GOT-IT

Mental Health Program Specialist 2

Grade 23

New York State has approximately 196 positions* in this title statewide. You may view a breakdown of positions by county. This position exists in Mental Health, Office of. View links to all New York State agencies including agencies that have this title. For more information, New York State employees can contact the Career Mobility Office at (518) 485-6199 or (800) 553-1322. If you are not a current New York State employee, you can use the Department of Civil Service Web site to explore possible employment opportunities.

*The number of positions is approximate and represents the number of positions established (both filled and vacant); it is not an indication or reference to position type or duration, or intent to be filled. If you are viewing a trainee title, please note this number reflects the number of positions established at the journey level. Agencies may fill at the trainee level(s) or at the journey level based on employee qualifications. GOT-IT does not provide information on any job postings or job availability. For information on current job postings, please visit State Jobs NY. You may also visit specific New York State Agency websites for information about an agency and its job opportunities.

Career Ladder

A listing of titles that are most commonly used as steps for upward mobility for this title series. The salary schedule for this career ladder is also available.

  1. Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 1

    Similar to Grade 13

  2. Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 2

    Similar to Grade 14

  3. Mental Health Program Specialist 1

    Grade 18

  4. Mental Health Program Specialist 2

    Grade 23

  5. Mental Health Program Specialist 3

    Grade 25

Summary of Job Description

As a Mental Health Program Specialist 2, you would perform professional, administrative, and technical duties promoting the development, implementation, and evaluation of a mental health service delivery system and its component services. You may be responsible for small to medium size State facilities or local programs or serve as a member of a team responsible for larger and more technically complex programs that require additional support and guidance.

View the classification standard for this title, on the Classification and Compensation webpage.

The NYS Title and Salary Plan provides additional information regarding other titles. If there is a classification standard available there will be a link under the column labeled STD. NO. If no link is available there is no classification standard available at this time for that title.

Summary of Minimum Qualifications

Please note: qualifications for this position may be subject to change. If substitutions for education and/or experience are allowed, this information would be available on the announcement.

You must take and pass a Civil Service examination in order to be considered for this position.

There are two examinations for this position. Please note: New York State employees may qualify for both.

For employees on New York State, on or before the date of the examination the candidate must have one year of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as a Mental Health Program Specialist 1, Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 1, or Mental Health Program Specialist Trainee 2.

For all other qualified individuals, on or before the date of the examination, the candidate must have a bachelor's degree in one of the major fields of study as follows: psychology, counseling and community psychology, social work, nursing, recreation therapy, rehabilitation counseling, special education, child and family studies, mental health counseling, psychoanalysis, marriage and family therapy, creative arts therapy, public administration, public policy, hospital administration, health administration, public health, sociology, or criminal justice; AND you must have three years of professional clinical experience or professional administrative experience in a mental health program.* (See descriptions and definitions below.) You must clearly and sufficiently describe your experience or your application may be disapproved.

Substitution:

• A master’s degree in one of the major fields of study indicated above may be substituted for one year of the required experience above.

• A doctoral degree in one of the major fields of study indicated above may be substituted for two years of the required experience above.

Note: The maximum degree substitution is up to two years of the required experience.

*Mental Health Program: For the purposes of this examination, a mental health program is defined as a federal, state, or local government operated, licensed, certified, or funded mental health program in which the primary population served (75% or more) consists of individuals whom have been diagnosed with mental illness and are receiving mental health services.

Non-qualifying programs include, but are not limited to, programs in which the primary population served consists of individuals receiving developmental disabilities services, juvenile justice services, criminal justice services, health services, foster care services, social services, or substance use disorder services.

Professional Clinical Experience: For the purposes of this examination, Professional clinical is defined as the provision of professional level care, treatment, or instruction, to individuals who have been diagnosed with mental illness, in the disciplines of: psychology, social work, nursing, recreation therapy, rehabilitation counseling, mental health counseling, psychoanalysis, marriage and family therapy, or creative arts therapy.

Examples of qualifying professional clinical experience includes but are not limited to providing: psychotherapy; psychological diagnosis, assessment, and evaluation; psychological services treatment plan development; mental health counseling; and psychiatric registered nursing.

Examples of non-qualifying clinical experience includes but are not limited to: intern/externships; and providing direct care and/or support services, such as those normally provided by therapy aides, nursing assistants, direct support aides, and caseworkers.

Professional Administrative Experience─ For the purposes of this examination, Professional administrative experience is defined as experience performing one or more of the following:

• Program planning, development, design, implementation, administration, or program evaluation in a mental health program, and/or managed care program, and/or a sex offender treatment program; or
• Quality management, quality assurance, or quality improvement in a mental health program; or
• Budgeting, fiscal, business administration, or administrative planning in support of a mental health program; or
• Oversight, coordination, or operations experience in a federal, state, or local government mental health program, or in a local community provider of mental health services.

Examples of qualifying professional administrative experience includes: experience in Federal, State or local government mental health program; experience in a local community provider licensed or regulated or funded by the Office of Mental Health.

For informational purposes only, click on the examination number(s) listed below to see the current or previous examination(s) that are used to fill this title.

26-872 38-175

How to Apply

When this examination is scheduled to be held, the announcement can be found on the Department of Civil Service, Examination Announcements web page. If you do not see an examination currently scheduled please check back on a monthly basis or sign up for announcement notification by email so that you will automatically be notified when new examinations are being offered.

Career Mobility

Career mobility is not just limited to the titles in the Career Ladder, above. Additional movement may be achieved through other examinations, additional education and/or work experience or transfer opportunities. For additional information or clarification of transfer determinations, current State employees should contact the Career Mobility Office. Visit ELMS Online to view established open-competitive, promotion, and transition eligible lists. If you are not a current New York State employee, see Employment Opportunities with New York State and find out how to become a New York State employee.

back to top