Peer Specialist- Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team

Peer Specialist- Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team Join to apply for the Peer Specialist- Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team role at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Base Pay Range $50,920.00/yr - $89,975.00/yr Summary This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. The Peer Specialist functions as an interdisciplinary team member in the Homeless Program as part of the Mental Health Department in an outpatient Mental Health setting at the main campus in Manchester, NH and its Community‑Based Outpatient Clinics in Tilton, Somersworth, Portsmouth, and Conway, NH. Qualifications To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement – 11/24/2025. 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; (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 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 NOTE: 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 Minimum grade level qualifications GS‑6: In addition to 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, 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 Your 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: 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, 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 At this level routine work has been completed with minimal supervisory oversight and review; however close supervision will have been provided for complex and unusual tasks 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, 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 At this level you have the ability to work with general instructions for the performance of routine duties and detailed instructions and/or training in performance of the non‑routine functions and special assignments Non‑routine/novel work will have been reviewed by spot checking and after completion to evaluate the adequacy of methods, procedures, results, ability to solve new and changing problems, etc. 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, 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 At this level work will have been performed with considerable independence and you are responsible for making recommendations to the interdisciplinary treatment team that can be relied on for sound judgment and maturity of insight on problem situations -OR- EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: (Transcripts are required with your application package) GS‑6: Successful completion of six (6) months of graduate education or a one‑year post‑bachelor's degree internship meets the requirements for GS‑6. Only education that is directly related to the work of the position is creditable GS‑7: Successful completion of one (1) full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS‑7. Only education that is directly related to the work of the position is creditable GS‑8: Successful completion of one and one‑half (1.5) years of graduate education meets the requirements for GS‑8. Only education that is directly related to the work of the position is creditable GS‑9: Successful completion of two (2) full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS‑9. Only education that is directly related to the work of the position is creditable. 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. 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: Monday‑Friday – 8:00 am–4:30 pm, Telework: Ad‑Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Peer Specialist‑Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team/PD99322 – PD99321 – PD99320 – and PD99319. 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. Seniority level Entry level Employment type Full‑time Job function Health Care Provider Industries Government Administration #J-18808-Ljbffr