DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES

Central Arizona Region

Salary: $24.0384- $26.4424 hourly (DOE) 

Grade: 19

Closing Date: April 17, 2025

Would you like to be part of an amazing team that helps Veterans thrive? At the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services (AZDVS), we are committed to serving and honoring veterans, service members, and their families by ensuring that they receive the highest quality services so that they can thrive for a lifetime!

We are looking for a dynamic and outgoing Outreach Specialist!

Your rewards:
• Incomparable Benefits: Our program provides the opportunity to receive a lifetime pension and healthcare.
• Meaningful Work: Your dedication will directly enhance the lives of veterans and their family members, providing them with the care and respect that they deserve.
• Professional Growth: You will have the opportunity to engage in continuous learning and improvement through the Arizona Management System (AMS).

Your contribution:
• Outstanding Service: Provide the best assistance to veterans to improve their quality of life
• Continuous Improvement: Participate in facility meetings, training sessions, and the implementation of the Arizona Management System (AMS) to achieve continuous improvement and efficiency
• Team Collaboration: You will work skilled professionals, improving your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures.

The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State’s Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.

• Conduct community outreach and engagement to Arizona veterans, service members, and their families
• Expand partnerships with community organizations in order to increase usage of mental health services
• Maintain positive relationships with community behavioral health service providers and key partners
• Develop and implement outreach plan targeting veterans, service members, and their families who may need mental health services, AZDVS services, and resources
• Conduct eligibility and needs assessments, including referring clients to enrolled mental health providers and for services to community agencies as appropriate
• Assist in planning, staffing, and presenting at community events such as health fairs, conferences, and cultural events
• Distribute educational materials and inform community of agency programs and events Plan and facilitate community engagement sessions with diverse populations such as health fairs, conferences, and cultural events LGBTQ, veteran/military dependents, American Indian/Alaskan Natives, Justice Involved Veterans, Suicide Attempt Survivors, Suicide Loss Survivors, individuals with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and/or individuals with Substance Use Disorder
• Maintain accurate records detailing efforts, resources, and communications with clients, community partners, community behavioral health service providers
• Compile and present reports
• Coordinate/interface with state, federal, and civilian agencies (e.g. VA Healthcare Systems and Regional Office, AZ Coalition for Military Families, E MPACT, National Guard, AHCCCS, Dept. of Health, etc.) and expand partnerships for community outreach
• Coordinate community outreach to increase community involvement in current programming and research for agency initiatives
• Represent the agency at meetings, conferences, and other venues

Knowledge of:

• Basic individual and community mental health needs and issues, co-occurring substance use issues, substance use recovery needs and issues, and available community services
• Basic mental health, community education, social services, and medical systems, etc.
• Federal and State Veteran benefits, military-connected community needs and resources
• Effective presentation techniques and communication best practices

Skill in:

• Working with individuals with mental health challenges and community providers
• Developing rapport, relationship building, and interpersonal skills
• Organization with the ability to keep accurate notes and records
• Project management, critical thinking, and problem-solving
• Self-direction, time management, task completion, and priority setting
• Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite

Ability to:

• Maintain confidentiality of all agency and client related information
• Communicate with an awareness of and sensitivity to cultural and socioeconomic differences
• Meet assigned goals and objectives that support the agency's strategic plan
• Travel throughout assigned regional area, in and out of state
  

• Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Human Services, Social Work or related field
• Previous experience with military/Veteran organization(s), such as prior military service, military family, or civilian employment
• Experience providing community navigation or case management with community-based organizations that provide treatment, recovery, or mental health related services

Valid Arizona driver's license

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The Arizona Department of Administration offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:

• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).  Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Paul Sharp at recruiting@azdvs.gov or (602) 781-7032 for assistance.

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.