Peer Specialist (Facility Based)

Veterans Health Administration • Lexington, KY

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Specialist is an interdisciplinary team member who assists physicians and other professional and nonprofessional personnel in a rehabilitation treatment program. The position supports Veterans in articulating recovery and personal wellness goals, learning and practicing new skills, monitoring progress, participating in treatment, using effective coping techniques and self-help strategies, and advocating for effective services. The work uses the specialist’s own recovery experience to support Veterans.

This is a facility-based, non-virtual position. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework may be authorized, with eligibility discussed during the interview. The position is part of a multi-grade career ladder; promotion to the full performance level may occur without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Work takes place in settings including a medical center, group or family homes, community-based outpatient settings, community organizations, and transport vehicles.

Requirements

• Must be a Veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition, as defined by the statutory requirements in the posting.
• Must have at least one year of recovery from a mental health condition, including mental illness and/or substance use disorder.
• Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted peer specialist certification from a qualifying nonprofit training entity or state.
• Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• For GS-6 through GS-9, must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level involving post-personal-recovery experience supporting others in mental health and/or addiction recovery, or meet the stated directly related graduate education substitution for the grade sought.
• Current or former federal employees subject to the time-in-grade requirement must meet the applicable 52-week requirement at the next lower GS grade.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and meet applicable background/security, onboarding, identification, and influenza vaccination requirements.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must provide copies of DD-214 and peer specialist certification with the application; transcripts are required when qualifying based on education.
• Must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering health or safety.
• Must be able to work flexibly in noisy, irregular, unpredictable, and stressful settings and may need to use VA-approved behavioral management techniques.

Responsibilities

• Participate in VA health care service, training, consultation, and other professional activities as a fully vested member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Use personal recovery experiences to model coping techniques and recovery tools and coach Veterans in skills for managing their health conditions and pursuing personal wellness.
• Observe behaviors that may indicate difficulty adapting or responding to treatment, document appropriately, and report concerns to the treatment team in a timely manner.
• Use individual and group meetings to teach Veterans to identify and combat negative self-talk and overcome fears by providing a forum for sharing experiences.
• Handle crisis interventions and other emergent situations as necessary, including situations without specific instructions.
• Inform Veterans about VA and community supports and resources and how to use them effectively in recovery and wellness.
• Maintain knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches to wellness and recovery by reading relevant materials.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family; specific eligibility depends on position type.
• VA may grant credit for job-related nonfederal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual, subject to approval and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed