Peer Specialist (Pact/Pcmhi)

Veterans Health Administration • San Francisco, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Specialist uses lived experience of recovery to support team-based, accessible, Veteran-centric primary care. Integrated into Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI), the role strengthens the multidisciplinary team, elevates Veteran perspectives, promotes Whole Health and engagement in care, and helps Veterans navigate the VHA continuum of care. The position is restricted to eligible Veterans who meet statutory requirements, including having recovered or being recovering from a mental health condition and holding a current, unrestricted peer specialist certification. At least one year of recovery is required.

The Peer Specialist assists physicians and other staff in a rehabilitation treatment program. Using personal recovery experience, the specialist coaches Veterans in self-management and personal wellness, helps them articulate recovery goals and practice new skills, monitors progress, supports treatment and self-advocacy, and models coping techniques and self-help strategies. The role includes observing and reporting concerns about Veterans’ adaptation to or participation in treatment, providing individual and group peer support, responding to crises and other emergent situations, and informing Veterans about VA and community resources. The specialist maintains knowledge of current holistic wellness and recovery approaches.

The main workplace is the Fort Miley medical center, with subsequent work locations at the Santa Rosa and Oakland Community-Based Outpatient Clinics. The role may be authorized for telework, with eligibility discussed during the interview; it is not a virtual position. Work is primarily sedentary and takes place across medical-center, outpatient, community, home, and transportation settings. Conditions can be noisy, irregular, unpredictable, and stressful, and may occasionally involve behavioral-management techniques when Veterans present a danger to themselves or others. This is a multi-grade career ladder, with potential promotion to the full performance level when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Requirements

• Must be a Veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition, as defined by the statutory requirements in the announcement.
• 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 demonstrate proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Must meet the specialized-experience or education-substitution requirements for the applicable grade level, GS-6 through GS-9; specialized experience is generally at least one year at the next lower grade in peer mental-health or addiction recovery support, recovery advocacy, psychiatric therapy aide work, or equivalent in-person support work.
• Current federal employees and certain applicants with prior federal service must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and meet applicable selective-service, background/security, onboarding, identification, and influenza-vaccination requirements.
• Must provide a DD-214 and peer specialist certification with the application; transcripts are required when relying on education to qualify.
• Must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties, with occasional moderate physical demands, and exercise patience and emotional control without endangering the health or safety of self or others.

Responsibilities

• Participate in VA health care service, training, consultation, and other professional activities as a member of the multidisciplinary team.
• Use personal recovery experience to model coping techniques and recovery tools and coach Veterans in skills for self-management and personal wellness.
• Help Veterans articulate recovery and wellness goals, learn and practice new skills, monitor progress, participate in treatment, and advocate for effective services.
• Observe behaviors that may indicate difficulty adapting or responding to treatment, document observations, and report concerns to the treatment team in a timely manner.
• Use individual and group meetings to help Veterans identify and combat negative self-talk and overcome fears through shared experience.
• Handle crisis interventions and other emergent situations when necessary, including situations without specific instructions.
• Inform Veterans about VA and community supports and resources and how to use them in the recovery and wellness process.
• Maintain knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic wellness and recovery approaches.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• Potential credit for qualifying job-related non-federal 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