New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Examinations Open to All Qualified Individuals

Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide Trainee

Beginning Salary	Effective Date
$33,193	4/1/09
$34,521	4/1/10

OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL RETARDATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Appointees who work in Brooklyn will receive an additional $1,850 annual downstate adjustment effective April 1, 2008 (to increase to $3,026 effective October 1, 2008, and thereafter). Appointees who work in Dutchess County will receive an additional $1,000 annual mid Hudson adjustment effective April 1, 2008 (to increase to $1,513 effective October 1, 2008, and thereafter).

* As a Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide Trainee, you would participate in a traineeship ranging from 9 to 15 months depending on your ability to demonstrate competency in certain critical performance areas of direct care. The traineeship includes a wide range of learning experiences in the provision of care for individuals diagnosed with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities in a secure setting. At the successful completion of your traineeship, you will advance without further examination to Grade 11 (Beginning Salary $34,095 effective April 1, 2008 - Job Rate $41,788; Beginning Salary $35,118 effective April 1, 2009 - Job Rate $43,042; Beginning Salary $36,523 effective April 1, 2010 - Job Rate $44,762).

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before the date of filing your application, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) and have had six months of permanent competitive, non-competitive, labor, or 55 b/55 c service in a position allocated to Grade 5 or higher.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

Qualifications for Appointment

1. License Requirements: You must possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter.
2. Physical/Medical Requirements: You are required to pass a medical examination, as well as a physical agility test, before you can be appointed. Physical, medical, and agility requirements are available. Please note that the medical examination includes psychological and drug screening.
3. Background Investigation: Your background will be screened and a thorough character investigation may be required. Fingerprinting and a criminal background check will be conducted if you are appointed. All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case is determined on its own merits and consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws. You may also be required to be cleared through the New York State Child Abuse Registry.

Notes

1. An appointee not meeting required standards can be terminated at any time after the initial four (4) weeks and before completion of the traineeship.
2. This examination uses the same test as the Developmental Aide Trainee and Mental Health Therapy Aide Trainee examinations. A candidate cannot be tested more than once during the same test form period. Each test form period runs from September 1st through August 15th of the following year. If you take the test more than once during the same test form period, you will not receive a score for the second test.
3. If you are successful on this examination, your name will be placed on both the transition and open competitive lists for your Developmental Disabilities Services Office (DDSO). You may request that your score be transferred to Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide Trainee and Developmental Aide Trainee transition and/or open competitive lists at other OMRDD facilities. You may also have your score transferred to the open competitive list for Mental Health Therapy Aide Trainee for positions at Office of Mental Health (OMH) settings. Instructions on how to have your score transferred will appear on your written test score notice.
4. Eligible lists from these examinations may be used to fill other language parenthetic positions, other than Spanish language, that currently exist or are established during the life of the list. If you are considered for appointment to a language parenthetic position, you will be required to demonstrate proficiency in that language. Proficiency must be at a level which will permit you to perform the duties of the position satisfactorily.

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Subject of Examination

There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test will be administered in English and is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Dealing with daily situations in an OMH/OMRDD setting - These questions test for the ability to apply common sense in dealing with daily situations encountered by Aides in OMH and OMRDD settings. No specific knowledge or training is needed to answer these questions.
2. Observing and recording situations of daily living - These questions test for the ability to accurately observe and record situations of daily living. Candidates will be given a brief description of a situation of daily living, followed by a number of sentences. Candidates must indicate whether or not the sentences factually and accurately describe the situation presented.
3. Understanding and applying written instructional material - These questions test for the ability to understand and apply written instructional materials. Each question has two parts. The first part presents a short piece of instructional information. The second part describes a related situation. For each question, candidates must pick the one best answer based on the instructional material and the situation presented.
4. Arithmetic for daily living - These questions test for the ability to use basic arithmetic in daily living situations encountered by Aides in OMH and OMRDD settings. The situations involve the application of simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, as well as interpreting information from simple tables, to answer the problems presented.

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans??? credits to your final passing score.

Credit for Seniority

Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof) excluding the first year of service.

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Duties

As a Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide Trainee, you would assist in the habilitation and care of mentally retarded/developmentally disabled individuals living in an OMRDD secure unit. These individuals may exhibit criminal and offending behaviors, have severely deviant behaviors, and/or be dangerous to themselves or others. You would be responsible for providing these individuals with a safe and secure environment and assisting in the implementation of their habilitation plan. You must be able to do such things as stand, bend, stretch, lift, and participate in physical interventions.

The Positions

These positions are located ONLY in intensive treatment units in certain facilities operated by the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD).

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How and Where to Apply

If you wish to apply for this examination, complete the attached Transition Examination Application Form (XD-100 B)(). Return your completed application to the Personnel Office of the facility where you wish to be tested.

Brooklyn Developmental Disabilities Services Office
888 Fountain Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11208-5997
(718) 642-6310

Broome Developmental Disabilities Services Office
249 Glenwood Road
Binghamton, NY 13905-1695
(607) 770-0241

Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office
620 Westfall Road
Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 461-8797

Sunmount Developmental Disabilities Services Office
2445 State Route 30
Tupper Lake, NY 12986
(518) 359-4155

Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office
26 Center Circle
Wassaic, NY 12592
(845) 877-6821, ext. 3833

Valley Ridge Center For Intensive Treatment
276 Chiarino Drive
Norwich, NY 13815
(607) 337-7013

Within OMRDD, facilities have varying ongoing needs for persons qualified for appointment to these positions. Facilities will accept applications at any time and will schedule the written test whenever additional eligibles are needed. It is anticipated that the examinations will be held on a periodic basis throughout the year. For the testing schedule and other information about this examination, contact the personnel office of the facility where you wish to be tested.

RETEST POLICY: Qualified candidates may file as frequently as once a year, but a new application is required each time.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

In addition, it is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to enjoy equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their applications. Further information is available from the Special Arrangements Unit of the Department of Civil Service at 518-457-2487 [press 2, then press 2] in the Albany area, toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2], or via TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) at 518-457-8480.

New York State Residence Is Not Required For Most Positions

However, you must be eligible for employment in the United States.

Eligibility for Examination

To be eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

Continuous Recruitment/Eligible Lists

Candidates who meet the qualification and pass this examination will have their names placed on the eligible list in the order of final scores, regardless of the date on which they filed or took the test. Generally, the names of qualified candidates will remain on the eligible list for two years. Appeal of ratings will not be allowed as the opportunity for retest exists. The department of Civil Service reserves the right to terminate this special recruitment program.

S1/TB3 SAR-tmc
Issued: 8/08

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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