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USAJOBS · 2 months ago

Peer Specialist (Facility Based)

East Orange, New Jersey, USA

Full-time

Onsite

Entry, Mid Level

$53K/yr - $94K/yr

1+ years exp

The VA New Jersey Health Care System is seeking a Peer Specialist who will assist in rehabilitation treatment programs for Veterans. The role involves using personal recovery experiences to aid Veterans in achieving their wellness goals and providing support and 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 tools 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 ExperienceTeaches OthersProblem SolvingCommunicationCrisis InterventionDocumentation SkillsTeam Collaboration

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

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, 11/03/2025

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) 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)

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

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, which involved post-personal mental health recovery experience as a mentor providing counseling to support peers in mental health and/or addiction recovery

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, which involved post-personal mental health recovery experience as a mentor providing counseling to support peers in mental health and/or addiction recovery

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, which involved post-personal mental health recovery experience as a mentor providing counseling to support peers in mental health and/or addiction recovery

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, which involved post-personal mental health recovery experience as a mentor providing counseling to support peers in mental health and/or addiction recovery

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: (Transcripts are required with your application package) GS-6: Successful completion Six (6) months of graduate education or a 1-year post-bachelor's degree internship meets the requirements for GS-6

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: (Transcripts are required with your application package) GS-7: Successful completion One (1) full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: (Transcripts are required with your application package) GS-8: Successful completion One and one/half (1 ) years of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-8

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: (Transcripts are required with your application package) GS-9: Successful completion Two (2) full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9