Job Description
Summary
This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. This position functions as an interdisciplinary team member - assisting physicians and other professional/ non-professional personnel in a rehabilitation treatment program.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/11/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Basic Requirements:
- FOR PEER SUPPORT APPRENTICES - GS-102-5: As a Peer Support Apprentice hired to become a certified Peer Specialist - a Veteran must have spent a minimum of 1 year in recovery from a mental health condition (mental illness and/or substance use disorder)
- In all cases - Peer Support Apprentices must actively pursue becoming certified as required to serve as a Peer Specialist by 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13)(B)
- At the time of appointment - the supervisor will provide the Peer Support Apprentice with the written requirements for becoming certified - the date by which he or she must become certified - and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline
- Failure to become certified by the prescribed date will result in removal from this GS-102 occupation and may result in termination of employment
- IMPORTANT NOTICE: Veteran is defined as a person who served in the active military - naval - air - or space service - and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable
- Restricted to VETERANS - See IMPORTANT NOTICE
- Open to current - permanent employees of the VA (i.e
- T38 - T38 Hybrid - and VCS employees on excepted appts covered by an interchange agreement)
- Federal employees on a Career/Career-Conditional appt.
- Former competitive civil service employees eligible for reinstatement
- Veterans eligible under VRA - and 30% DAV
- Those eligible under the Employment Program for People with Disabilities
- and those eligible for CTAP/ICTAP
- Length of Experience in Recovery Basic Requirement: Successful recovery is exemplified by one who manages symptoms of illness and pursues a healthy lifestyle
- lives independently
- is employed or volunteers significant time approximating at least a part-time employment schedule
- has meaningful relationships with family members and friends
- and is socially involved in the community through clubs - hobby groups - church - civic organizations or Veteran organizations in which the individual provides a service to others
- NOTE: You MUST provide copies of your DD-214 with your application package
- ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English
- You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position
- Reference: For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at
Duties
- The Peer Specialist functions as an interdisciplinary team member - assisting physicians and other professional/non-professional personnel in a rehabilitation treatment program
- Peer specialists perform a variety of therapeutic and supportive tasks that include assisting Veterans in articulating their goals for recovery and personal wellness - learning - and practicing new skills - helping them monitor their progress - assisting them in their treatment - modeling effective coping techniques and self-help strategies based on the peer specialist's own recovery experience - and supporting them in advocating for themselves to obtain effective services
- Duties include - but not limited to the following: Participates in the service - training - consultation - and other professional activities of VA health care services and functions as a fully vested member of the multidisciplinary team
- Uses personal recovery experiences to model coping techniques and recovery tolls to coach Veterans to relevant skills need for self-management of their health condition(s) and pursuit of their personal wellness
- Observes behaviors that might indicate difficulty adapting or responding to treatment (e.g. - missed assessment appointments - failure to attend or maintain abstinence - risk to self or others - disruptive behavior) - completes appropriate documentation - and reports concerns to the treatment team in a timely manner
- Uses ongoing individual and group meetings to teach Veterans how to identify and combat negative self-talk and overcome fears by providing a forum that allows Veteran to share their experiences
- As necessary - handles crisis interventions for Veterans and addresses other emergent situations without the benefit of specific instructions
- Informs Veterans about VA and community supports and resources - including how to effectively utilize them in the recovery and wellness process
- Maintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches in wellness and recovery by reading books - journals - and other relevant materials
- Performs other related duties as assigned Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
- Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
- 8:00AM- 4:30PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Peer Support Apprentice/PD99318S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
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Job Tags
Permanent employment, Part time, Work at office, Relocation package, Monday to Friday