Career Center

** A recruitment or relocation incentive may be approved for a highly qualified applicant** *This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered until the position has been filled. Applications will remain on file until September 30, 2022 or until the position is filled.* To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2022. 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; 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. b. Length of Experience as a Consumer of Mental Health Recovery Services. Veterans eligible under 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13) must have spent a minimum of 1 year in personal recovery from a mental health condition. NOTE: You MUST provide copies of your DD-214 and Peer Specialist Certification with your application package. Documentation from your mental health provider verifying that you have spent a minimum of 1 year personal recovery from a mental health condition is not yet required at this stage. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: GS-06: One year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-05), which is progressively responsible, identifying needs and providing individualized assistance and appropriate service to Veterans on less complicated cases without prior approval. The supervisor is kept informed of the progress of the work and is available for consultation. Completed work is evaluated for adequacy of methods, results, ability to solve new and changing problems, effectiveness in relations with others, and the ability to coordinate activities with other departments. Supervision is primarily received through the review of reports and discussions of progress on assigned cases. GS-07: One year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-06), which is progressively responsible, performing the full range of services involved in establishing eligibility for assistance; making initial and continuing eligibility determinations in all types of cases and authorizing grants to those who are eligible; developing pertinent information through interviews, correspondence, and home visits to support authorization of assistance to eligible individuals or to terminate applications of persons who are ineligible; and is responsible on a continuing basis for conducting regularly scheduled reviews of cases to update information on changes in the recipient's circumstances which affect his needs. GS-08: One year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-07), which is progressively responsible, taking the initiative in developing and implementing an appropriate plan of assistance and service and keeping the supervisor informed of any unusual problems that arise while working with a wide range of cases that involve a variety of individualized problems of a less serious nature. Supervision is usually limited to discussing progress of more serious cases in regularly scheduled conferences and a sampling review of case records and reports. GS-09: One year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-08), which is progressively responsible, taking the initiative in providing assistance and service and keeping the supervisor informed of the progress of cases assigned; planning programs of assistance and service for individuals and families incumbent works with, make continuing appraisals of progress of plans, give sustained effective help and encouragement, and evaluate changes in the family's or individual's situation that may affect assistance planning. Consults with his supervisor on unusual questions when incumbent wants conclusions reexamined or feels that adequate precedents for a proposed action have not been definitely established. Supervision is received mainly through review of reports and through periodic discussions of progress of assigned cases. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education, graduate education or a post-bachelor's degree internship meets the specialized experienced required for GS-6/9 ONLY in those instance where it is directly related to the work of the position. You must have: GS-06: Six (6) months of graduate education or a 1-year post-bachelor's degree internship meets the requirements for GS-06. GS-07: One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-07. GS-08: One and one/half years of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-08. GS-09: Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-09. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service Therapy and Counseling Veteran and Customer Focus Education and Training Decision Making Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others. Operation of a motor vehicle is required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. ["The Peer Specialist position will be under Social Work Service on a multidisciplinary team supporting engagement in Mental Health Services. Peer specialists perform a variety of therapeutic and supportive tasks that assist Veterans in articulating their goals of recovery, learning and practicing new skills and modeling effective coping techniques. Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Assigned to the Social Work Service, the Access to Care Peer Specialist serves as a recovery agent by providing and advocating any effective recovery based services that will aid the veteran in daily living. As such, Peer Specialist participates in the service, training, consultative and other professional activities of psychosocial rehabilitation and functions as a full professional member of the multidisciplinary team supporting engagement in Mental Health care and other needed services. The incumbent performs a variety of therapeutic and supportive tasks that include assisting their peers in articulating their goals for recovery, 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 specialist's own recovery experience, and supporting them in advocating for themselves to obtain effective services. Accessing transportation and driving a government car may be required as work is performed in a wide range of settings, including within the Medical Center, Community Based Outpatient Clinics, in community or private family homes; or in transport vehicles Promotion Potential: 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. Work Schedule: Full Time. Monday-Friday. 8:00am-4:30pm.\nTelework: May be considered for qualified applicants\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nPosition Description/PD#: PEER SPECIALIST/PD00068-A, PD00067-A, PD00066-A, and PD00065-A\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]