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USAJOBS · 2 months ago

Peer Specialist - Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Program

Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Full-time

Onsite

Entry, Mid Level

$45K/yr - $80K/yr

1+ years exp

The VA Central Iowa Health Care System is seeking a Peer Specialist to assist in their Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Program. This role involves supporting Veterans in their recovery journey by utilizing personal recovery experiences to model coping techniques and provide advocacy for effective services.

ConsultingGovernmentHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologyInternetStaffing Agency

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

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

Qualification

Peer Specialist CertificationMental Health Recovery ExperienceProblem SolvingCommunicationTeaches Others

Required

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job

You must have a full, current, and unrestricted peer specialist certification to meet this qualification requirement for employment in VHA as a peer specialist

You must be a Veteran (See Statutory Requirements below)

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

Subject to background/security investigation

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/29/2025

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

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; and (2) be certified by 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

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)

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

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

MINIMUM GRADE LEVEL QUALIFICATIONS: GS-6: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower graded level

GS-7: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower graded level

GS-8: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower graded level

GS-9: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower graded level

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: (Transcripts are required with your application package)

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Problem Solving, Communication, Teaches Others

Physical Requirements: The applicant must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.