Peer Support Apprentice - Community Based
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs · Los Angeles, CA · 4 wk ago
OTHRFull-time
We need to output HTML fragment with sections: About the role? The posting includes summary, qualifications, duties, work schedule, relocation/recruitment incentives, etc. We must not repeat job title as heading. Use for section headings like About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule. We need to decide which sections have real content.
We have:
- Summary: "This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants." That's a summary; could be "About the role" maybe.
- Qualifications: extensive details about statutory requirements, basic requirements, physical requirements, work environment, etc. That's "Qualifications" or "Requirements". Use
for section headings like About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule. We need to decide which sections have real content.
We have:
- Summary: "This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants." That's a summary; could be "About the role" maybe.
- Qualifications: extensive details about statutory requirements, basic requirements, physical requirements, work environment, etc. That's "Qualifications" or "Requirements". Use Qualifications
with - for list items.
- Duties: list of duties. Use
Responsibilities
(or Duties). Use - .
- Work Schedule: "Various tours of duty based on the needs of the service Compressed/Flexible: May be available based on the needs of the service Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position". That's schedule info. So we can have
Schedule
with describing.
- Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: "May be authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized". That's benefits? Could be
Benefits
with that info.
- Pay: Not mentioned. So we should not create Pay section.
- Skills: Not explicit; maybe we could infer but better not to create unless explicit.
Thus sections: About the role (or Summary), Qualifications, Responsibilities, Schedule, Benefits.
We must not include boilerplate like EEO etc. Already removed.
We need to preserve all substantive information. Must not invent or summarize away detail. Must keep details like dates, location, etc.
We need to format lists appropriately.
Let's extract content.
Summary paragraph: "This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants."
We can put that in under
About the role
.
Qualifications: Need to capture all details.
Let's parse qualifications section:
"To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/16/2026. 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.
Basic Requirements FOR PEER SPECIALISTSaStatutory RequirementsSection 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 conditionand(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 positionor(b) a State as having satisfied relevant State requirements for a peer specialist positionbLength 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 lifestylelives independentlyis employed or volunteers significant time approximating at least a part-time employment schedulehas meaningful relationships with family members and friendsand is socially involved in the community through clubs - hobby groups - church - civic organizations or Veteran organizations in which the individual provides a service to othersIMPORTANT 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 dishonorableAdditionally - in accordance with the Mission Act of 2018 and Public Law 115-271 - in order to meet the needs of women Veterans - the Office of Personnel Management has authorized this recruitment to women onlyNOTE: You MUST provide copies of your DD-214 with your application packageENGLISH 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 EnglishYou must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this positionBASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR PEER SUPPORT APPRENTICES - GS-102-5: As a Peer Support Apprentice hired to become a certified Peer Specialist - a Veteran must have spent a minimum of 1 year in recovery from a mental health condition (mental illness and/or substance use disorder)In all cases - Peer Support Apprentices must actively pursue becoming certified as required to serve as a Peer Specialist by 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13)(B)At the time of appointment - the supervisor will provide the Peer Support Apprentice with the written requirements for becoming certified - the date by which he or she must become certified - and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadlineFailure to become certified by the prescribed date will result in removal from this GS-102 occupation and may result in termination of employmentNOTE: You MUST provide copies of your DD-214 with your application packagePhysical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this positionQuestions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examinationThe applicant 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 othersThe work is primarily sedentaryTypically - the employee sits to do the workThere may be some walking - standing - bending - carrying of light items (such as books - papers) - and accessing transportationThe work may require occasional use of Department of Veteran's Affairs approved behavioral management techniques with Veterans who present a danger to self or othersVeterans demonstrate varying levels of wellness - recovery - and symptomsWork Environment: This position must be equipped to be flexible and accept that work areas are often noisy - irregular - unpredictable - and stressfulWork is performed in a wide range of settings - including the Medical Center - group or family homes - community-based outpatient settings - community organizations - or in transport vehicles (public or government)For more information on these qualification standards - please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/."
We need to turn this into a list of items. Could break into logical items: closing date, promotion potential, statutory requirements (veteran, certification), length of experience in recovery, definition of veteran, recruitment to women only, DD-214 requirement, English language proficiency, basic requirements for peer support apprentice, physical requirements, work environment, reference link.
We must preserve all info; we can create - each item.
Now Responsibilities/Duties: extract duties paragraph.
"The Peer Specialist functions as an interdisciplinary team member - assisting physicians and other professional/non-professional personnel in a rehabilitation treatment programPeer 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 servicesThis position will serve as a community-based peer specialist within the local VA facility catchment areaThe working environment may include providing peer support services in places such as Veterans' homes - prisons - jails - treatment courts - shelters - tent encampments - street outreach - etcDuties include - but not limited to the following: 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 teamUses personal recovery experiences to model coping techniques and recovery tolls to coach Veterans to relevant skills need for self-management of their health condition(s) and pursuit of their personal wellnessObserves 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 mannerUses 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 experiencesAs necessary - handles crisis interventions for Veterans and addresses other emergent situations without the benefit of specific instructionsInforms Veterans about VA and community supports and resources - including how to effectively utilize them in the recovery and wellness processMaintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches in wellness and recovery by reading books - journals - and other relevant materialsPosition requires operation of a motor vehicle or access to public transportation to perform assigned dutiesAccompanies Veterans to appointments as needed - whether medical - housing - or other treatment plan goal appointments - either through agency vehicle or public transportationAssists Veterans to identify resources and problem solve how to overcome barriers so that the Veterans can independently address transportation and other personal needsSubsequent background checks may be required if treating Veterans in an institutional setting Performs other related duties as assigned"
We need to list duties as
- . Could split by sentences.
Now Schedule: "Various tours of duty based on the needs of the serviceCompressed/Flexible: May be available based on the needs of the service Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position". We'll put in
.
Benefits: "Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized". We'll put in
.
Now ensure we don't include any boilerplate like EEO etc. Already removed.
Now produce HTML fragment.
We'll start with
About the role
...
Then Qualifications
- ... each item.
We need to be careful to not lose any detail. Let's craft items:
- Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 10/16/2026.
- 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.
- Statutory requirements (per Section 405 of Public Law 110-387, 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13)):
- Must be a veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition.
- Must be certified either by a not-for-profit entity engaged in peer specialist training (as having met criteria established by the Secretary) or by a State (as having satisfied relevant State requirements for a peer specialist position).
- Length of experience in recovery: Minimum of 1 year of recovery from a mental health condition (mental illness and/or substance use disorder). Successful recovery exemplified by managing symptoms, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, living independently, employed or volunteering significant time approximating at least part-time, having meaningful relationships with family/friends, and being socially involved in the community (clubs, hobby groups, church, civic organizations, Veteran organizations) where the individual provides service to others.
- Veteran definition: Person who served in active military, naval, air, or space service and was discharged/released under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Recruitment authorized for women only (per Mission Act of 2018 and Public Law 115-271, to meet needs of
Responsibilities
(or Duties). Use- .
- Work Schedule: "Various tours of duty based on the needs of the service Compressed/Flexible: May be available based on the needs of the service Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position". That's schedule info. So we can have
Schedule
withdescribing. - Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: "May be authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized". That's benefits? Could be
Benefits
with that info. - Pay: Not mentioned. So we should not create Pay section. - Skills: Not explicit; maybe we could infer but better not to create unless explicit. Thus sections: About the role (or Summary), Qualifications, Responsibilities, Schedule, Benefits. We must not include boilerplate like EEO etc. Already removed. We need to preserve all substantive information. Must not invent or summarize away detail. Must keep details like dates, location, etc. We need to format lists appropriately. Let's extract content. Summary paragraph: "This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a Veteran that meets statutory requirements that are detailed in the qualifications section. A recruitment/relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants." We can put that inunder
About the role
. Qualifications: Need to capture all details. Let's parse qualifications section: "To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/16/2026. 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. Basic Requirements FOR PEER SPECIALISTSaStatutory RequirementsSection 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 conditionand(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 positionor(b) a State as having satisfied relevant State requirements for a peer specialist positionbLength 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 lifestylelives independentlyis employed or volunteers significant time approximating at least a part-time employment schedulehas meaningful relationships with family members and friendsand is socially involved in the community through clubs - hobby groups - church - civic organizations or Veteran organizations in which the individual provides a service to othersIMPORTANT 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 dishonorableAdditionally - in accordance with the Mission Act of 2018 and Public Law 115-271 - in order to meet the needs of women Veterans - the Office of Personnel Management has authorized this recruitment to women onlyNOTE: You MUST provide copies of your DD-214 with your application packageENGLISH 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 EnglishYou must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this positionBASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR PEER SUPPORT APPRENTICES - GS-102-5: As a Peer Support Apprentice hired to become a certified Peer Specialist - a Veteran must have spent a minimum of 1 year in recovery from a mental health condition (mental illness and/or substance use disorder)In all cases - Peer Support Apprentices must actively pursue becoming certified as required to serve as a Peer Specialist by 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13)(B)At the time of appointment - the supervisor will provide the Peer Support Apprentice with the written requirements for becoming certified - the date by which he or she must become certified - and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadlineFailure to become certified by the prescribed date will result in removal from this GS-102 occupation and may result in termination of employmentNOTE: You MUST provide copies of your DD-214 with your application packagePhysical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this positionQuestions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examinationThe applicant 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 othersThe work is primarily sedentaryTypically - the employee sits to do the workThere may be some walking - standing - bending - carrying of light items (such as books - papers) - and accessing transportationThe work may require occasional use of Department of Veteran's Affairs approved behavioral management techniques with Veterans who present a danger to self or othersVeterans demonstrate varying levels of wellness - recovery - and symptomsWork Environment: This position must be equipped to be flexible and accept that work areas are often noisy - irregular - unpredictable - and stressfulWork is performed in a wide range of settings - including the Medical Center - group or family homes - community-based outpatient settings - community organizations - or in transport vehicles (public or government)For more information on these qualification standards - please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/." We need to turn this into a list of items. Could break into logical items: closing date, promotion potential, statutory requirements (veteran, certification), length of experience in recovery, definition of veteran, recruitment to women only, DD-214 requirement, English language proficiency, basic requirements for peer support apprentice, physical requirements, work environment, reference link. We must preserve all info; we can create- each item.
Now Responsibilities/Duties: extract duties paragraph.
"The Peer Specialist functions as an interdisciplinary team member - assisting physicians and other professional/non-professional personnel in a rehabilitation treatment programPeer 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 servicesThis position will serve as a community-based peer specialist within the local VA facility catchment areaThe working environment may include providing peer support services in places such as Veterans' homes - prisons - jails - treatment courts - shelters - tent encampments - street outreach - etcDuties include - but not limited to the following: 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 teamUses personal recovery experiences to model coping techniques and recovery tolls to coach Veterans to relevant skills need for self-management of their health condition(s) and pursuit of their personal wellnessObserves 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 mannerUses 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 experiencesAs necessary - handles crisis interventions for Veterans and addresses other emergent situations without the benefit of specific instructionsInforms Veterans about VA and community supports and resources - including how to effectively utilize them in the recovery and wellness processMaintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches in wellness and recovery by reading books - journals - and other relevant materialsPosition requires operation of a motor vehicle or access to public transportation to perform assigned dutiesAccompanies Veterans to appointments as needed - whether medical - housing - or other treatment plan goal appointments - either through agency vehicle or public transportationAssists Veterans to identify resources and problem solve how to overcome barriers so that the Veterans can independently address transportation and other personal needsSubsequent background checks may be required if treating Veterans in an institutional setting Performs other related duties as assigned"
We need to list duties as
- . Could split by sentences.
Now Schedule: "Various tours of duty based on the needs of the serviceCompressed/Flexible: May be available based on the needs of the service Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position". We'll put in
. Benefits: "Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized". We'll put in
. Now ensure we don't include any boilerplate like EEO etc. Already removed. Now produce HTML fragment. We'll start with
About the role
...
ThenQualifications
- ... each item. We need to be careful to not lose any detail. Let's craft items: - Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 10/16/2026. - 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. - Statutory requirements (per Section 405 of Public Law 110-387, 38 U.S.C. 7402(b)(13)): - Must be a veteran who has recovered or is recovering from a mental health condition. - Must be certified either by a not-for-profit entity engaged in peer specialist training (as having met criteria established by the Secretary) or by a State (as having satisfied relevant State requirements for a peer specialist position). - Length of experience in recovery: Minimum of 1 year of recovery from a mental health condition (mental illness and/or substance use disorder). Successful recovery exemplified by managing symptoms, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, living independently, employed or volunteering significant time approximating at least part-time, having meaningful relationships with family/friends, and being socially involved in the community (clubs, hobby groups, church, civic organizations, Veteran organizations) where the individual provides service to others. - Veteran definition: Person who served in active military, naval, air, or space service and was discharged/released under conditions other than dishonorable. - Recruitment authorized for women only (per Mission Act of 2018 and Public Law 115-271, to meet needs of
- . Could split by sentences.
Now Schedule: "Various tours of duty based on the needs of the serviceCompressed/Flexible: May be available based on the needs of the service Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position". We'll put in
- each item.
Now Responsibilities/Duties: extract duties paragraph.
"The Peer Specialist functions as an interdisciplinary team member - assisting physicians and other professional/non-professional personnel in a rehabilitation treatment programPeer 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 servicesThis position will serve as a community-based peer specialist within the local VA facility catchment areaThe working environment may include providing peer support services in places such as Veterans' homes - prisons - jails - treatment courts - shelters - tent encampments - street outreach - etcDuties include - but not limited to the following: 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 teamUses personal recovery experiences to model coping techniques and recovery tolls to coach Veterans to relevant skills need for self-management of their health condition(s) and pursuit of their personal wellnessObserves 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 mannerUses 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 experiencesAs necessary - handles crisis interventions for Veterans and addresses other emergent situations without the benefit of specific instructionsInforms Veterans about VA and community supports and resources - including how to effectively utilize them in the recovery and wellness processMaintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches in wellness and recovery by reading books - journals - and other relevant materialsPosition requires operation of a motor vehicle or access to public transportation to perform assigned dutiesAccompanies Veterans to appointments as needed - whether medical - housing - or other treatment plan goal appointments - either through agency vehicle or public transportationAssists Veterans to identify resources and problem solve how to overcome barriers so that the Veterans can independently address transportation and other personal needsSubsequent background checks may be required if treating Veterans in an institutional setting Performs other related duties as assigned"
We need to list duties as