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Peer Support Apprentice - Acute Inpatient Psychiatry

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is an entry level time limited (Term Appointment) Peer Support Apprentice (PSA) position in the Mental Health - Acute Inpatient Psychiatry at the Tomah VA Medical Center. This position does not provide any known promotion potential; however, it does allow uncertified minimally qualified veterans training to become certified.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/06/2022 to 07/13/2022
This job will close when we have received 25 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$36,118 to - $46,953 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
Tomah, WI
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term - 366 Days
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
TM-11534349-22-SA
Control number
661353800

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Duties

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This position does not provide any known promotion potential; however, it does allow uncertified minimally qualified veterans training to become certified and thus fully qualified for future non-time limited Peer Specialist opportunities with promotion potential up to the GS-9 grade level. Peer Support Apprentices serve in a developmental capacity.

The Peer Support Apprentice position provides peer support services to Veterans with mental illness. Under close supervision you will function in an entry level capacity to attain the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to prepare for certification and to be able to perform the full range of assignments as a Peer Specialist. Duties include:

-Assist in performing a wide range of tasks to assist peers of all ages in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process.
-Assist in providing services to the Veterans primarily through educational and skills-building classes/group modalities and will also assist the Veterans in setting up and sustaining self-help (mutual support) groups as well as in locating and joining existing community activities.
-Share your own experiences and what skills, strengths, supports, and resources you have used.
-Share your own recovery story to inspire hope in other Veterans to develop and achieve their own personalized recovery goals.
-Serve as a role model by utilizing experiences to create and share personal recovery stories and other recovery tools.
-Perform administrative tasks such as timely and accurate typing of progress notes into the Computerized Patient Record System; storing and retrieving electronic documents and files; activating printers; inserting and deleting text; formatting reports and memos; and transmitting and receiving email.
-Additional duties as required.

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Rotating weekends and Holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Peer Support Apprentice - Acute Inpatient Psychiatry/PD00065A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/13/2022.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following basic requirements:

Basic Requirements:
-Must be a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces.
-Must have recovered from, or in the process of recovering from a mental health condition.
-Must have spent a minimum of 1 year in recovery from a mental health condition. Noteworthy: Please just submit a copy of your DD-214 - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty to satisfy the basic requirements identified above. We do not need your extensive personal history at this time. The hiring official will obtain any supplemental personal history information needed.

GS-5 Appointment Eligibility: In addition to Veteran eligibility, you must meet one of the following appointment criteria to apply:
-Service Connected Disability Veteran 30% or more.
-Eligible for Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA Appointment)
-Former Federal Employees with reinstatement eligibility.
-Current permanent Federal employee.
-Severely disabled applicants (not service related).

Peer Support Apprentices GS-5: Peer Support Apprentices must actively pursue becoming certified as required to serve as a Peer Specialist. 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 deadline.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Computer Skills
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Psychology
  • Teamwork


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: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee will sit to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items (such as books, papers), accessing transportation, and/or driving a government vehicle. The work requires patience and control of emotions. The work may require occasional use of appropriate techniques to physically restrain clients who present a danger to self or others.

Working Environment: Work will be performed in a wide range of settings, including the medical center; in client group or family homes; in community-based outpatient settings, community agencies; or in transport vehicles (public or government). Work areas are often noisy, irregular, and unpredictable and can be stressful at times. Clients demonstrate varying levels of recovery and symptoms.

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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Note: Evidence of experience, must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Please provide such documentation on your application or resume. Also, please provide work experience information such as hours per week and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish one (1) full year of experience. The requirement for this proof is specified in the "How to Apply" section of this announcement. To be credible, experience must be documented in the application and verifiable through employment references and/or other means. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answer; we will not allow credit for your response(s).

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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