Veteran Peer Specialist, Virginia Veteran and Family Support

A Veteran Peer Specialist is a person with a mental health and/or co-occurring condition, actively engaged in his/her own recovery, who has been trained and certified to help others with these conditions, identify and achieve specific life and recovery goals.



Peer Specialists serve as role models by sharing their personal recovery stories, showing that recovery from mental illness is possible. They teach goal setting, problem solving, symptom management skills and a variety of recovery tools. They empower by helping others identify their strengths, supports, resources and skills. They advocate by working to eliminate the stigma of mental illness and  act as community liaisons by identifying social supports in the community and encouraging the expansion of local community resources.

The program emphasizes assistance for service members, veterans, and families on their road to recovery from the effects of stress-related injuries (such as combat stress, post traumatic stress or military sexual trauma) or traumatic brain injuries. This includes:

• Veterans of any era who are Virginia residents;
• Members of the Virginia National Guard not in active federal service;
• Virginia residents in the Armed Forces Reserves not in active federal service;
• Family members of veterans and members of Guard and Reserve not in active federal service.

Statewide Toll Free Number: (877) 285-1299

Regional Director, Ben Shaw: (804) 690-3217

Senior Veteran Peer Specialist, Anthony Swann: (540) 840-3003