USAJOBS · 1 day ago
PEER Specialist (Non-Gender)
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid Level
$46K/yr - $81K/yr
1+ years expThe USAJOBS company is part of the Veterans Health Administration, and they are seeking a Peer Specialist who will assist physicians and other personnel in a rehabilitation treatment program. The role includes performing therapeutic and supportive tasks to help Veterans achieve their recovery and wellness goals.
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. In consultation with the supervisor, the position completes assignments based on peer support service knowledge, skill and proven sound judgment. The position works with Veterans with very complex mental illnesses and challenging situations that require effective communication and decision-making skills
Serves as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for effective wellness and holistic, recovery-based services that aid Veterans in daily living
Assists Veterans to articulate personal recovery and wellness goals through the use of individual or group meetings by identifying their skills, strengths, supports, and resources needed to aid them in achieving their recovery and wellness goals
Assists Veterans in determining the steps needed to achieve their self-directed recovery and wellness goals. Utilizes recovery tools to coach Veterans on relevant skills, monitors progress and assists with the execution of the recovery and wellness plan. Makes timely reports of progress, and presents new areas of concern to the treatment team. Contributes to the development of an effective discharge plan that is based upon their understanding of the Veteran's goals and interests
Observes behaviors that might indicate difficulty adapting or responding to treatment (e.g., missed appointments, failure to maintain abstinence, risk to self or others, disruptive behavior) Use 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 Veterans to share their experiences. When appropriate, the position shares stories about personal recovery experiences in relation to current struggles that the Veterans report
The discreet self-disclosures made by the position facilitate Veterans' recovery by conveying hope that change and recovery are possible
Utilizing personal recovery experience, the position will:
Teach and role model the value of individual's recovery experience
Model effective coping techniques, holistic wellness, and self-help strategies
Assist in obtaining services that suit individual personal recovery and wellness needs
Assist in exploring interests and options for making improvements in life functioning areas such as housing, employment, relationships, and community engagement (i.e., assist in options for obtaining affordable housing and coordinate with the treatment team for VA housing programs; Support Veterans' vocational choices and coordinate with the treatment team for referrals to support employment)
Inform about VA and community resources, including how to utilize them in the recovery and wellness process. Community resources may include: Consumer organizations, Social Security offices, Dept. of Family and Children Services, YMCAs, Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), and the Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
Assist in developing empowerment skills, identifying strengths, and combating stigma through self-advocacy. (Accomplished through individual or group meetings and using role playing/modeling techniques
Serve as liaison to community-based organizations to develop and/or foster Veterans' community integration, natural supports, and self-reliant strategies
Perform outreach activities to establish community partnerships that will provide health care services for the Veterans in the community and inform Veterans of the availability of those services and benefits
Assist Veterans in building social skills in the community that enhance community reintegration using techniques and social skills training
This position handles crisis interventions for Veterans and addresses other emergent situations through immediate consultation with the supervisor or available clinical provider. These crisis interventions are carefully documented and communicated to the multidisciplinary team in a timely manner
This position maintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches in wellness and recovery
Performs other related duties as assigned
Qualification
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)
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
BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR PEER SPECIALISTS: must be a veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition; and be certified by a not-for-profit entity engaged in peer specialist training or 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)
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
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: Successful completion of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-6, GS-7, GS-8, and GS-9
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Company
USAJOBS
USAJOBS enables federal job seekers to access job opportunities across hundreds of federal agencies and organizations.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageRecent News
Company data provided by crunchbase