Veteran and Military Family Peer Support Specialist

Position Summary

The Veteran and Military Family Peer Support Specialist helps identify and reach veterans who may be isolated, struggling, or disconnected from care by working with their family members and trusted supports.

Using lived experience as a member of a military or veteran family, the specialist provides peer support, education, and practical guidance to help families recognize concerns, begin supportive conversations, and connect veterans with VetConnect SD, VA services, and community resources.

The primary purpose of this position is to increase veteran engagement, connection, and access to supportive services by empowering family members and natural supports to play an active role in helping veterans seek assistance before challenges reach a crisis level.

This is a non-clinical role and does not provide counseling, diagnosis, clinical assessment, or independent crisis intervention.

Key Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with military and veteran family members who are concerned about a veteran’s well-being.
• Provide short-term peer support, education, and practical guidance based on military-family lived experience.
• Help families recognize concerns, begin supportive conversations, and identify barriers to seeking help.
• Facilitate warm handoffs to the VetConnect SD team, VA services, healthcare providers, and community resources.
• Conduct ongoing engagement and follow-up activities with veterans and family members, consistent with participant consent, program procedures, and confidentiality requirements.
• Educate families about suicide warning signs, protective factors, and crisis resources within the scope of the position’s training.
• Conduct outreach through military-family programs, caregiver networks, veteran events, and community partnerships.
• Develop and maintain relationships with veteran service organizations, military family programs, healthcare systems, schools, faith-based organizations, community agencies, and other referral partners to increase awareness of VetConnect SD services.
• Document contacts, referrals, outreach, follow-up, and outcomes in approved systems.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation in accordance with organizational policies, funder requirements, and quality assurance standards.
• Participate in supervision, team meetings, training, quality assurance, and program evaluation.
• Support data collection, participant outcome tracking, and program evaluation activities as required by organizational and funding requirements.
• Maintain outreach, referral, engagement, and follow-up performance goals established by program leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, human services, public health, family studies, community development, or a related field.
• Personal lived experience as a military or veteran spouse, partner, caregiver, parent, adult child, surviving family member, or other close member of a military-connected family.
• Understanding of military culture and the experiences of veterans and military families.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, outreach, presentation, and documentation skills.
• Ability to use lived experience appropriately while maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Proficiency with standard computer programs and the ability to learn electronic documentation systems.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel throughout the service area.
• Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends.
• Willingness to complete required training in peer support, suicide prevention, trauma-informed practices, military culture, and program procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting veterans, military families, caregivers, or survivors.
• Experience conducting outreach, facilitation, community engagement, advocacy, peer support, or group activities.
• Familiarity with VA services, military support systems, healthcare navigation, and South Dakota community resources.
• Experience working in rural communities and underserved areas.
• Knowledge of suicide prevention, recovery-oriented supports, and family-centered approaches to veteran engagement.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

This position requires regular sitting, standing, walking, speaking, hearing, and operation of standard office equipment. The employee must be able to travel regularly throughout the service area and may occasionally lift and carry materials weighing up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Pay: $22.00 - $25.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Bereavement leave
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $22 - $25