[Hiring] Peer Specialist @Office of Suicide Prevention, Veterans Crisis Line

Role Description

This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. This position is part of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), which is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week service aimed at connecting callers worldwide to a caring, qualified VA employee. The VCL's mission is to provide 24/7, world-class suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to Veterans, Service Members, and their family members.

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, including:

• Assisting Veterans in articulating their goals for recovery and personal wellness.
• Learning and practicing new skills.
• Helping Veterans monitor their progress.
• Modeling effective coping techniques and self-help strategies based on their own recovery experience.
• Supporting Veterans in advocating for themselves to obtain effective services.

Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Serve as an advocate and provide information and peer support for Veterans.
• Participate in the service, training, consultation, and other professional activities of VA health care services as a fully vested member of the multidisciplinary team.
• Utilize recovery tools to coach Veterans on relevant skills needed for self-management of their health condition(s) and pursuit of their personal wellness.
• Assist in obtaining services that suit the individual's personal recovery and wellness needs.
• Work with Veterans with very complex mental illnesses and challenging situations that require effective communication and decision-making skills.
• Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for effective wellness and holistic recovery-based services that aid Veterans in daily living.
• Assist Veterans in determining the steps needed to achieve their self-directed recovery goals and wellness.
• Assist and empower Veterans diagnosed with mental illnesses and/or co-occurring disorders, as well as other chronic illnesses or injuries, to achieve their personal recovery goals.
• Complete assignments based on comprehensive peer support knowledge and recognition by others of demonstrated superior skill and proven sound judgment.
• Assist Veterans with their individual recovery through goal setting, problem solving, safety screening, etc.
• Assist Veterans in identifying their skills, strengths, supports, and resources needed to aid them in achieving their recovery goals.
• Assist with the execution of the Veteran caller's recovery and wellness plan.
• Collaborate with Veterans to develop and implement a personal wellness and recovery plan.
• Teach Veterans how to identify and combat negative self-talk and overcome fears by providing a forum that allows Veterans to share their experiences.
• Assist Veterans in exploring their interests and options for making improvements in life functioning areas such as housing, employment, relationships, and community engagement.

Work Schedule:

• Monday - Friday: 10am to 6:30pm, or 1:30pm to 10pm. Work schedule includes day and evening tours of duty. Tour will be determined after final selection.

Remote:

• This is a remote position. Selectees will work 100% of the time in a non-VA-owned space that may be within or outside the commuting area of the agency.
• The employee's workspace must be suitable for conducting business, and remote employees are expected to provide a secure, distraction-free home-based worksite with reliable high-speed internet connectivity.
• The employee will be required to travel to the closest VA Medical Center or VA Outpatient Clinic for issuance of equipment and as needed for technical support.
• Selectees will be required to self-certify that their remote workplace meets all safety, privacy, and internet speed requirements.

Qualifications

• To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/07/2026.
• 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 include being a veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition and being certified by a not-for-profit entity or a State.
• Must have at least 1 year of recovery from a mental health condition.

Requirements

• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Minimum Grade Level Qualifications for GS-9: Candidates must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience or successful completion of two (2) full years of graduate education or a master's degree.
• Preferred Experience: 5 years experience as a Peer Specialist.

Benefits

• Not Authorized for Relocation/Recruitment Incentives.
• Not Authorized for Permanent Change of Station (PCS).