Empowering Veterans: Your Career as a Peer Specialist at the VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to providing world-class care to those who have served our nation. A key component of this care is the Peer Specialist program. If you are a Veteran with personal experience in mental health or addiction recovery, you have the unique ability to turn your journey into a career that changes lives. The Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center is currently hiring a Community-Based Peer Specialist to provide vital outreach and support in the Fort McPherson area.

Job Responsibilities

As a Community-Based Peer Specialist, your work takes you beyond the clinic walls. You will be meeting Veterans where they are—in their homes, at local shelters, or within legal and correctional facilities. Key duties include:

Modeling Recovery: Using your own experiences to teach coping skills and wellness strategies.
Mentorship: Coaching Veterans to set and achieve personal recovery goals.
Crisis Support: Addressing emergent situations and providing immediate, supportive intervention.
Advocacy: Helping Veterans navigate VA and community-based resources.

Requirements

This position requires a specific combination of life experience and professional certification. To be eligible, you must:

Be a Veteran who has served in the active military, naval, air, or space service.
Hold a full, current, and unrestricted Peer Specialist certification.
Demonstrate at least one year of personal recovery from a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
Be a U.S. Citizen.

Level	Specialized Experience Requirement
GS-6	1 year of peer-related support work
GS-7	1 year of independent peer support work
GS-8	1 year of peer work with non-routine functions
GS-9	1 year of peer work with considerable independence

Salary Overview

This position offers a competitive salary range of $48,019 to $84,857 per year. The exact salary level is determined by the specific GS grade you qualify for based on your education and professional experience.

Benefits

Working for the federal government provides a robust benefits package, including:

Health, vision, and dental insurance options.
A generous retirement savings plan (FERS).
Accrued annual leave and sick days.
Federal job security and potential for advancement via the career ladder.

Application Tips

Keep it Concise: Your resume must be under two pages.
Documentation is Key: Have your DD-214 and Peer Specialist certificate ready for upload.
Use PDF: Always save your resume as a PDF to preserve formatting.
Be Specific: Detail your recovery-related work experience clearly; do not leave it to the recruiter to guess your skills.

Serving your fellow Veterans as a Peer Specialist is more than just a job; it is a calling. If you are ready to use your story to help others write their own success stories, apply today to the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center.

Why This Peer Specialist - Community Based Job Matters

Turn your personal journey into a life-changing career—join the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Peer Specialist and help fellow Veterans navigate their path to recovery.

Peer Specialist - Community Based Job Overview

The Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center is seeking a compassionate, dedicated Peer Specialist to join our interdisciplinary team in Fort McPherson, Georgia. In this vital role, you will use your personal experience in mental health or addiction recovery to serve as a mentor and guide for Veterans. You will work in a variety of community settings, providing hands-on support, advocacy, and encouragement to help Veterans achieve their wellness goals and thrive.

Requirements for Peer Specialist - Community Based

Must be a U.S. Citizen.
Must be a Veteran (served in active military, naval, air, or space service with a discharge other than dishonorable).
Possess a full, current, and unrestricted Peer Specialist certification.
Must have at least one year of personal recovery experience from a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Subject to background and security investigations.
Participation in the annual influenza vaccination program is mandatory.

Preferred Qualifications for Peer Specialist - Community Based

Lived experience with the justice system.
Training or certification in forensic peer strategies.
Proven experience conducting outreach in correctional or legal settings (jails, prisons, treatment courts).
Experience providing peer services in diverse public and private sectors.

Federal Benefits & Perks

✓Federal career retirement plan
✓Comprehensive health insurance options
✓Paid annual and sick leave
✓Federal holiday leave
✓Life insurance programs
✓Flexible spending accounts
✓Potential for career ladder promotions

💡 How to Apply Peer Specialist - Community Based Job & Insider Tips

Application Steps for Peer Specialist - Community Based Job

Create or update your USAJOBS account.
Prepare a resume that is strictly two pages or less.
Collect mandatory documentation, including your DD-214 and Peer Specialist Certification.
Complete the online occupational questionnaire.
Upload all required supporting documents as PDFs.
Submit your application through the online portal before the closing date.

💡 General Tips

Save your resume as a PDF to ensure formatting remains intact.
Use concise, results-oriented language and align your bullet points with the position requirements.
Ensure your SF-50s clearly demonstrate one year of time-in-grade if you are a current or former federal employee.
Double-check that your resume is under two pages to avoid immediate disqualification.
Prioritize recent and relevant experience over older, unrelated roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be a Veteran to apply for this role?

Yes. Due to statutory requirements, this position is strictly reserved for Veterans who have recovered or are recovering from a mental health condition.

What is the two-page resume limit?

Per federal merit hiring plans, resumes submitted for this position must not exceed two pages. Resumes longer than this will result in ineligibility.

What does a Peer Specialist actually do?

You will function as a member of an interdisciplinary team, providing coaching, modeling coping techniques, assisting with goals, and connecting Veterans to community resources while sharing your own recovery insights.

What if I have a criminal record?

The VA supports the Fair Chance to Compete Act, prohibiting the request of criminal history prior to a tentative job offer.

Can I work from home?

While this is a community-based role that requires travel, it may have telework eligibility for administrative tasks depending on team needs.

Job from Veterans Health Administration

The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health care system in the United States. Our mission is to honor President Lincoln's promise: to care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families. By working as a Peer Specialist, you become an essential part of the interdisciplinary team that brings hope and stability to Veterans across the community.