New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Open-Competitive Examination Open to the Public

Developmental Disabilities Policy Development Specialist 3/4

THE LIST RESULTING FROM THESE EXAMINATIONS WILL BE USED FOR VACANCIES IN THE ALBANY AREA ONLY.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before September 10, 2016, you must have:

For Number 26-104: a bachelor’s degree and five years of professional administrative experience in the field of developmental disabilities; three of the five years must have included responsibility for policy development and analysis, and/or standards development.

For Number 26-105: a bachelor’s degree and six years of professional administrative experience in the field of developmental disabilities; four of the six years must have included responsibility for policy development and analysis, and/or standards development. In addition, three of the six years must have included supervisory experience OR one of the six years must have included managerial experience.

Substitution: A master’s degree in Human Services, Public Health, or Public Administration may substitute for one year of professional administrative experience. A doctoral degree in Human Services, Public Health, or Public Administration may substitute for one additional year of professional administrative experience.

Experience in the following areas is NOT QUALIFYING: Experience primarily involved in reviewing and inspecting programs for compliance with established legal requirements, standards and/or contracts for program services OR which is primarily involved in interpreting and/or implementing policy or standards.

Definitions:

*Policy Development and Analysis is the examination, assessment and development of policy approaches to providing supports and services to people with developmental disabilities. Policy takes the form of legislation, regulation and/or agency policy direction.

Qualifying Policy Development and Analysis experience would include:

• the development or editing of policy ‘white papers’ or analysis for agency leadership that will be used to implement new or changing policies, or;
• drafting policy documents and/or training materials for release to providers or members of the public to articulate or clarify Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) policy, or;
• review of draft federal or state legislation and regulations for applicability or influence on existing agency policies and procedures, or;
• development of federal agreements (waiver applications, State Plan Amendments or other plans) for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities services and/or funding, or;
• evaluation of federal agreements (waiver applications, State Plan Amendments or other plans) to assess state and provider administrative/compliance requirements.

**Standards Development is the researching, writing, editing and formatting of regulations for programs operated and certified in the field of developmental disabilities. Standards development is a multi-step process that involves the analysis and incorporation of relevant information that results in the final promulgation of a regulation.

Qualifying Standards Development experience would include:

• development of criteria to be used to test providers compliance with OPWDD programmatic and fiscal requirements, or;
• drafting or collaborating in the drafting of state regulations governing the operations of OPWDD services, or;
• drafting administrative memoranda that establish operational requirements for OPWDD services.

DO NOT SEND RESUMES. You must provide sufficient detailed descriptions of qualifying, verifiable experience on your application.

Notes

1. Your degree must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the NYS Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1LAC.
2. Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: The names of all prospective employees will be:
   
   • Checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
   • Investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). 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 will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws;
   and may be:
   
   • Screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment.
   You will be responsible for payment of all required fees.
3. Medicaid and Medicare: In order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment.
4. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
5. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities.

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Duties

As a Developmental Disabilities Policy Development Specialist 3, you may supervise staff in the analysis of policy-related issues; develop, review, and propose changes to statewide policies and standards impacting agency operations; and provide training and technical assistance to OPWDD staff, provider agencies, and other groups involved in policies and standards development and implementation.

As a Developmental Disabilities Policy Development Specialist 4, you may perform the same duties as a Developmental Disabilities Policy Development Specialist 3 and manage statewide policy and standards implementation; direct the development, review, and revision of policies and standards; provide consultation to executive-level staff to inform agency-wide policy decisions and planning; and represent OPWDD in policy-related matters at the State and federal level.

Important: As the processing fee is non-refundable, verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT received by the Department of Civil Service. No late applications will be accepted after the filing deadline has passed.

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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 is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Logical reasoning - These questions test for the ability to reason logically by interpreting statements in an accurate and reasonable manner; identifying the logical relationships between related statements; determining the conclusions that can correctly be drawn as a result of information presented; distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information; and applying principles of logic to information provided. Sample test material for Logical reasoning is available.
2. Writing skills for managers - These questions test for the writing skills that managers use in composing their own reports and correspondence as well as in reviewing documents produced by others. Both sentence skills and paragraph skills are addressed. The specific points tested include grammar, usage, punctuation, sentence structure, appropriate and correct content, editing, and organizing sentences into well-constructed paragraphs. Sample test material for Writing skills for managers is available.
3. Administrative principles for managers - These questions test for knowledge of the managerial functions involved in directing an organization or an organizational segment. These questions cover such areas as: developing objectives and formulating policies; making decisions based on the context of the administrator's position and authority; forecasting and planning; organizing; developing personnel; coordinating and informing; guiding and leading organizational units; as well as the delegation of authority and responsibility. Sample test material for Administrative principles for managers is available.
4. Supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline. Sample test material for Supervision is available.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits to your final passing score.

Important: The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies may communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your examination results and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

TEST GUIDE & SAMPLE TEST MATERIAL: A General Guide to Written Tests is available at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/statetestguides.cfm. Sample Test Material for the subject areas described above is also available where indicated and at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/sampletestmat.cfm.

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

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 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, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

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 provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, call 518-474 6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627.

Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm

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.

Issued: 6/24/2016
S1/TB1 LAC-vla

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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