JOB TITLE: Temporary Veteran Peer Support Specialist

LOCATION: Anchorage

OPENING DATE: 04/07/2025

CLOSES: Open Until Filled

SALARY: Depends on experience

WORK HOURS: 24 hours/week, On-Call – Position ends 09/29/2025

Job Summary: The Veteran Peer Support Specialist functions as an interdisciplinary team member, assisting program staff, behavioral health clinicians and other community health professional/non-professional personnel in a Veteran Affairs (VA) suicide prevention program. Peer specialists perform a variety of healing and supportive tasks that include assisting Veterans in articulating their goals for mental wellbeing, personal wellness, learning, practicing new skills, helping them monitor their progress, assisting them in their social environments by modeling effective coping techniques and self-help strategies based on the peer specialist’s own lived experience, and supporting them by advocating for obtainment of effective services. The Peer Support Specialist must have effective communication with coworkers and rural community partners, collaborate with APIA staff and attend required project and division meetings. Hours of work are on-call, 24 hours/week. Position ends 09/29/2025.

Qualifications: High School Diploma or equivalency is required for this position but preference will be given for a BS in Human Services. Veteran Peer Support Specialists (Peers) must be a military veteran who has lived experience receiving behavioral health or substance misuse recovery services, who are committed to their own recovery, and willing to help the in the recovery journey of fellow veterans and active duty service members. Existing knowledge of the area resources available to Veterans strongly preferred. Veteran Peers must be willing to use their own recovery experience as a vehicle to helping others. More specifically, candidates must be willing to share their personal stories of recovery with individual mental health consumers, groups of consumers, and as part of organized public speaking engagements. Candidates must demonstrate a nonjudgmental approach that reflects cultural competency, and sensitivity to the unique needs and diverse experiences of veterans and other people with behavioral health and substance misuse recovery challenges and their families. Veteran Peers must demonstrate the ability to establish working relationships with behavioral health and substance misuse consumers, provide direct assistance with access to community resources, facilitate or co-facilitate educational workshops, support groups and recovery-oriented activities for participants and their families. Skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with superiors, employees, other organizations, and the public organizations. Ability to manage and coordinate program goals and objectives with minimal amount of supervision. Ability to prepare and present effective oral and/or written reports in required format. Willingness and means to travel and have a valid Alaska driver’s license. Willing to take training and attend workshops and meetings periodically to enhance job performance and knowledge. Ability to frequently travel to multiple remote locations. Computer skills to include Microsoft Word and email. Interest and knowledge of the Native lifestyle and culture. Preferred skills: Mental Health First Aid, S.A.V.E. or QPR Gatekeeper Trainer, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing and/or other culturally relevant practice-based interventions.

Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc.
Attn: Chief Human Resources Officer
1131 East International Airport Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99518
nancyb@apiai.org
Phone: (907) 276-2700
Fax: (907) 279-4351

* Native preference will be given to qualified applicant pursuant to P.L. 93-638.