Peer Specialist

Peer Specialist Posted: 09-Jun-26 Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia Internal Number: 872076700 Categories: Mental Health/Social Services Summary: This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement — 07/31/2026. Time‑In‑Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time‑in‑grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS‑06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑05. For a GS‑07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑06. For a GS‑08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑07. For a GS‑09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑08. The grade may have been in any occupation — but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF‑50 that shows your time‑in‑grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF‑50 has an effective date within the past year — it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one‑year time‑in‑grade — as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF‑50 that clearly demonstrates one‑year time‑in‑grade. Note: Time‑In‑Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Basic Requirements FOR PEER SPECIALISTS a Statutory Requirements: Section 405 of Public Law 110‑387 — as codified in 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13) — established that to be eligible to receive appointment to a Peer Specialist position a person must: (1) be a veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition; (2) be certified by (a) a not‑for‑profit entity engaged in peer specialist training as having met such criteria as the Secretary shall establish for a peer specialist position or (b) a State as having satisfied relevant State requirements for a peer specialist position. Length of Experience in Recovery: must have at least 1 year of recovery from a mental health condition (mental illness and/or substance use disorder); 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. 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 appointments covered by an interchange agreement); Federal employees on a Career/Career‑Conditional appointment; former competitive civil service employees eligible for reinstatement; Veterans eligible under VEOA, VRA, and 30% DAV; those eligible under the Employment Program for People with Disabilities; and those eligible for CTAP/ICTAP. You must provide copies of your DD‑214 and Peer Specialist Certification 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. Minimum grade level qualifications: GS‑6 – at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower graded level involving post‑personal mental health recovery experience as a mentor providing counseling to support peers in mental health and/or addiction recovery, a recovery advocate directly involved with consumers of mental health services, a psychiatric therapy aide, or equivalent work involving in‑person communication to support others in mental health recovery. Work has been closely monitored, including having work checked in progress and reviewing completed work for accuracy, adequacy, and adherence to instructions or procedures. GS‑7 – same requirement with added responsibility and minimal supervisory oversight. GS‑8 – same with ability to work with general instructions and detailed instructions or training for non‑routine functions. GS‑9 – same with considerable independence and responsibility for recommendations to the interdisciplinary treatment team. Education substitution: GS‑6 – successful completion of six (6) months of graduate education or a one‑year post‑bachelor’s degree internship; GS‑7 – one (1) full year of graduate education; GS‑8 – one and a half (1.5) years of graduate education; GS‑9 – two (2) full years of graduate education or a master’s degree. Preferred Experience: Experience with assisting Veterans in mental health. 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— 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 tools to coach Veterans to relevant skills needed 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. Work schedule: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Telework: Not eligible for Telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Peer Specialist/PD99702S promotion potential: This position involves a multi‑grade career ladder. 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. About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr NACSW – North American Association of Christians in Social Work