**Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either Saturday, May 12, 2018, or Sunday, May 13, 2018, to take your test. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request a day in advance or change your scheduled day.

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 $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before May 12, 2018, you must have:

For No. 26-326: a bachelor's degree plus two years of program evaluation experience† in a human services setting.††

For No. 26-327: a bachelor's degree plus three years of program evaluation experience† in a human services setting.††

For No 26-373:

Either 1. a bachelor's degree plus four years of program evaluation experience† in a human services setting,†† one of which must have been in a supervisory capacity.

Or 2. a bachelor's degree plus three years of program evaluation experience† in a human services setting,†† and two additional years of experience in a human services setting that included supervisory responsibilities.

†For the purpose of these examinations, qualifying program evaluation experience is considered to be professional-level experience in which your primary responsibility is the design, modification, and/or utilization of data collection instruments and processes; conducting analysis; and the preparation of reports and other documents; all for the purposes of assessing program operations, improving program effectiveness and efficiency, and informing future program development. Such experience would include the following activities: determining or assisting in the determination of appropriate performance indicators for a program or organization; reviewing organizational performance to determine the level of compliance with the standards of oversight agencies; leading, facilitating, or participating in root cause analysis, failure mode and effect analysis, and performance improvement projects; designing and/or using existing outcome measurement instruments and processes; collecting, aggregating and analyzing data and presenting the results of the effort in reports and other documents; designing, modifying, and/or analyzing the results of client satisfaction surveys; collecting and maintaining monthly and quarterly data for regulatory bodies such as the Joint Commission; leading and/or participating in accreditation reviews and survey-readiness activities; and investigating critical incidents to identify deficiencies, patterns and trends, and in order to recommend remedial actions.

For the purpose of these examinations, non-qualifying program evaluation experience includes, but is not limited to, conducting assessments of individual clients’ needs, evaluating individual clients’ outcomes, or administering psychological tests to individual clients; non-professional-level experience (e.g., secretarial or administrative support activities, even if the experience is gained in a qualifying program evaluation unit); or experience in which program evaluation responsibilities did not represent the preponderance of your duties (e.g., experience supervising or managing a clinical program area, in which you evaluated the effectiveness of your own program or used the reports and/or data prepared by program evaluation staff to improve day-to-day operations).

††For the purpose of these examinations, a human services setting is considered to be any organization or institution that provides direct care or support services for individuals, families, or groups in a hospital, psychiatric hospital, psychiatric clinic, community mental health clinic, nursing or rehabilitation facility, correctional facility, intermediate care facility, institutional or school setting, or community based residential and/or day program.

Substitution: A master's or higher-level degree can be substituted for one year of non-supervisory experience.

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 NYS Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1JFG.
2. A promotion examination is also being held for these positions. If you are eligible for appointment from a promotion list, you may not be appointed in your own agency from the list resulting from this examination open to the public.
3. Although promotion examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as the result of these examinations open to the public.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
8. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in the New York State Office of Mental Health and the New York State Office For People With Developmental Disabilities, in various locations throughout New York State.

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Duties:

As a Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialist 2, you would assist in the ongoing evaluation of services provided to individuals with mental illness and/or developmental disabilities by State operated facilities and programs; conduct studies to evaluate program needs, processes, outcomes, impacts, costs/benefits, effectiveness, and individuals’ satisfaction; collect, review, and analyze quantitative data related to programmatic services; produce management reports and recommend programmatic improvements based on analyses; assist in the development and modification of survey instruments and data collection systems; and develop, update, and maintain program evaluation protocols, policies, and procedures.

As a Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialist 3, you may perform all of the same duties and functions as a Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialist 2, and in addition would independently evaluate a variety of geographically dispersed services provided to individuals with mental illness and/or developmental disabilities by State operated facilities and programs. You may also assist a Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialist 4 in the oversight and management of a program evaluation department; and supervise Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialists 2 and other staff engaged in program evaluation activities.

As a Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialist 4, you may perform all of the same duties and functions as a Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialist 2 and 3, and in addition would oversee and manage a facility’s program evaluation department; and supervise, coordinate, and direct the activities of Mental Hygiene Program Evaluation Specialists 2 and 3 and other staff engaged in program evaluation activities.

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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:	For Examination Numbers
	26-326	26-327	26-373
1. Developing, implementing and evaluating mental health programs - These questions test for the knowledge of issues, initiatives, programs, and trends in the field of mental health. Questions will focus on the oversight of programs that diagnose and treat mental health issues.	X	X	X
2. 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.	X	X	X
3. 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.+	X	X	X
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.		X
5. Administrative Supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in directing the activities of a large subordinate staff, including subordinate supervisors. Questions relate to the personal interactions between an upper level supervisor and his/her subordinate supervisors in the accomplishment of objectives. These questions cover such areas as assigning work to and coordinating the activities of several units, establishing and guiding staff development programs, evaluating the performance of subordinate supervisors, and maintaining relationships with other organizational sections.			X
Analyzing and evaluating information - These questions test for the ability to analyze, interpret, and draw reasonable conclusions from information presented in text, data, images or symbols. This may involve identifying a significant problem or issue; focusing on relevant data and text; identifying trends, relationships, and significant features; assessing relevant alternatives; suggesting or evaluating possible conclusions; and applying logical principles to information provided.			X

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 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 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/TB1 JFG-dah
Issued: 02/23/2018
+ Revised Material: 3/2/2018

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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