Aging Services Representative

*In order to maintain adequate staffing levels in the appropriate hospitals/facilities, you may be assigned to take your test on either Saturday, March 17, 2018, or Sunday, March 18, 2018. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request a specific date in advance or change your date once it has been assigned.

IMPORTANT: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. It is important that you 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.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $1,722 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $919 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before March 17, 2018, you must have had seven (7) years of professional level experience in an agency that provides programs and services primarily for older adults,** with at least three (3) years of this experience having been an administrator, manager, or coordinator of a program or service for older adults.***

Substitutions:

1. A bachelor's degree in an appropriate human services field**** may be substituted for four (4) years of general experience.
2. A master's degree in an appropriate human services field**** may be substituted for one (1) year of the required administrator, manager, or coordinator experience.

**Examples of qualifying programs and services for older adults may include: nutrition programs for older adults, case management for older adults, social older adult day care programs, employment services for older adults, transportation services for older adults, legal counseling and assistance services for older adults, health insurance information and counseling services for older adults, family caregiver support programs, Meals on Wheels Program, nursing home care, or older adult home care.

***For the purposes of this examination, administrator; manager; or coordinator of a program or service is defined as having responsibility for directing, organizing, and controlling the program and/or supervising the professional staff who directly run the program. Please note that providing direct services as a professional for a program assisting older adults is NOT considered qualifying experience.

****Appropriate degrees include, but are not limited to, the following human services fields: gerontology, health administration, non-profit administration, public administration, social work, family development, community services, case management, and counseling.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 2018, you can be admitted to the written test, but you cannot be considered for appointment until you submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirement to the Appointing Authority at the time of the employment interview. Failure to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 2018 may result in your removal from the eligible list.

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. This information can also be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the New York State Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1VXR.
2. A transition examination is also being held for these positions.
3. Although transition examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as the result of these examinations open to the public.
4. The New York State Office of Aging has the option of making appointments from either the list resulting from this examination open to the public or the list resulting from the transition examination. If you meet the requirements for both examinations, you may wish to file for both. The processing fee must be paid for this examination unless you are eligible for a fee waiver.
5. You may file for these examinations by completing one NYS-APP application form or applying on the Internet. Unless you are eligible for a fee waiver, the indicated processing fee must be submitted for each examination listed on your application.
6. If you pass the examination for No. 26-317 Aging Services Representative (Spanish Language), you will be required to demonstrate your (Spanish) language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform properly the duties of the position. Only enough candidates to fill current vacancies will be called to the proficiency test.
7. If you submit an application for No. 26-317 Aging Services Representative (Spanish language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 26-316 Aging Services Representative at no additional cost.
8. 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.
9. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
10. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Department of Aging, Albany New York.

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Duties

As an Aging Services Representative, you would assist in the administration of a variety of federal and state funded programs designed to provide services to older adults. These programs are generally operated on a local level by, or for, an area agency for aging, such as a county office for the aging. You would be responsible for providing technical assistance and program oversight to an assigned group of counties? programs for older adults or a specific statewide program or regional program for older adults. You would also serve as a member of a team having responsibility for developing programs, reviewing applications for funding, conducting annual evaluations, and monitoring the implementation of programs for older adults.

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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. Administrative techniques and practices - These questions test for a knowledge of management techniques and practices used in directing or assisting in directing a program component or an organizational segment. Questions cover such areas as interpreting policies, making decisions based on the context of the position in the organization, coordinating programs or projects, communicating with employees or the public, planning employee training, and researching and evaluating areas of concern.
2. Characteristics, issues, and problems relating to older adults - These questions test for knowledge of the characteristics of older adults, the issues of concern to them, and the causes and implications of significant problems facing them. The questions may cover such areas as housing, economic security, employment, long-term care, health care, recreation, social support, nutrition, and mental and physical functioning.
3. Ensuring effective inter/intra agency communications - These questions test for understanding of techniques for interacting effectively with individuals and agencies, to educate and inform them about topics of concern, to clarify agency programs or policies, to negotiate conflicts or resolve complaints, and to represent one's agency or program in a manner in keeping with good public relations practices. Questions may also cover interacting with the staff of one's own agency and/or that of other agencies in cooperative efforts of public outreach or service.
4. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
5. Programs and services for older adults - These questions test for knowledge of programs, laws, services, and other resources commonly used to meet the needs of older adults. The questions may cover such topics as the Older Americans Act, the Community Services for the Elderly Program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program, and other special programs, laws, and services relating to older adults.
6. Understanding and interpreting tabular material - These questions test your ability to understand, analyze, and use the internal logic of data presented in tabular form. You may be asked to perform tasks such as completing tables, drawing conclusions from them, analyzing data trends or interrelationships, and revising or combining data sets. The concepts of rate, ratio, and proportion are tested. Mathematical operations are simple, and computational speed is not a major factor in the test. You should bring with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test. You will not be permitted to use the calculator function of your cell phone.

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.

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a 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 unlawful 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, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, 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, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local 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: https://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.

S1/TA1 VXR-dah
Issued: 12/29/2017

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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