Evening Crisis Care Center Peer Support Specialist

Overview

• Job Location: 401 BEACON PARKWAY WEST - BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
• Position Type: Full Time
• Education Level: High School
• Job Shift: Evenings
• Normal Work Hours/Days: 3:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
• Location: Crisis Care Center

The Crisis Care Center is designed to provide crisis stabilization to individuals experiencing a behavioral health and/or substance use crisis and reduce pressure on law enforcement and local emergency departments. Once the crisis has been resolved and the individual has been stabilized, they will be linked with a community mental health provider for ongoing services. The Peer Support Specialist will be responsible for peer-provided services at the Crisis Care Center and will assist in developing and implementing programs that support individuals who receive crisis services and link them with community resources.

• Assist clients in determining reasonable and holistic steps moving into recovery and identifying barriers to recovery goals.
• Act as a navigator to orient individuals to the Crisis Care Center upon entry into services.
• Assist clients with identifying personal strengths in daily living and recovery skills.
• Engage and assist individuals in identifying strengths which aid and act as barriers that impede the recovery process.
• Facilitate groups and structured activities focusing on self-advocacy, wellness, problem solving, and identification and use of community and agency resources.
• Maintain clinical records in accordance with agency policies, including timely completion of documentation and agency-required trainings/workshops.
• Engage clients in basic exercise or physical activity; assist clients in building social skills in the community to enhance job acquisition and promote successful community tenure.
• Provide follow-up phone contact with individuals regarding post-discharge referrals for ongoing services.
• Maintain an updated resource listing for community partners and agencies to share with individuals.
• Provide transportation and warm handoff for individuals discharged from the Crisis Care Center to a community provider.
• Identify and recruit potential peer providers to engage high utilizers and move toward recovery.
• Attend, keep current, and utilize all trainings needed to perform the position at the required level.
• Other duties and tasks as assigned.

• High School Diploma or GED required
• Self-identify as a current or former client with a mental illness and/or substance use history
• Currently maintaining healthy recovery from mental illness and/or substance use
• Valid Alabama driver's license and driving record acceptable to the agency automobile insurance carrier for inclusion on agency policy.
• Must show and maintain car insurance equal to or more than the State of Alabama standards for automobile insurance coverage.

• Demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the Alabama public mental health system
• Knowledge of advocacy, self-help, and empowerment programs for recipients of mental health services
• Ability to convey a message of hope and recovery for people with psychiatric disabilities
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders
• Ability to communicate effectively with Crisis Care Center staff
• Trained in or willing to be trained in crisis intervention, specifically Therapeutic Options
• Knowledge of community resources
• Ability to work cooperatively with a multidisciplinary treatment team
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to identify problem situations of client care and treatment and build rapport with individuals
• Ability to use a computer for client record keeping and perform basic navigation functions in an electronic medical record