Peer Support Specialist - Office Municipal Public Defender

About Our Job

NOTE:

Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. A bilingual stipend may be available to eligible candidates once hired

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salarycommensuratewith experience and education. The starting pay range is $23.89 to $25.50per hourbased on your experience. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but is not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 132 hours of PTO earned within first year
• 11 Paid Holidays per year, plus 1 personal holiday, and 8 hours of Denver Good Deeds volunteer time
• Education Refund Program (ERP) - a chance for the city to support your continued learning and career growth by investing in your future with the city
• Care Bank – 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave (after the probation period is passed)
• Free RTD Eco Pass
• Competitive medical, dental and visionplanseffective within 1 month of start date

In this position you will work on site at the Office of the Municipal Public Defender, at: 710 W Colfax, Denver CO 80204. This position will be 100% onsite

Monday to Friday from 8:00AM – 4:00PM.

The Office of the Municipal Public Defender (OMPD) is a comprehensive, holistic public defender office that is client-centered, independent, and innovative in the representation of defendants who face jail time for municipal ordinance violations and traffic offenses, and municipal youth offenses. Many of our clients live with mental health conditions, substance use disorders,and traumatic brain injuries and over half are experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

OMPD’s Client Support Team (CST) consists of four Peer Support Specialists, a Behavioral Health Navigator, and a Bilingual Outreach Case Coordinator who work alongside attorneys in court daily, create re-entry plans with clients in jail, and connect clients with resources like shelter/housing, benefit enrollment, behavioral health treatment, and more. The CST division serves as part of the defense team and are bound by the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct including rulesregardingattorney-client privilege and client confidentiality.

OMPD is seeking a Peer Support Specialist I to provide peer support and resource navigation to the individuals OMPD represents.

Job duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Support OMPD’s holistic defense by working under the direction of attorneys to provide peer support, resource navigation, and mitigation for OMPD clients.
• Build person-centered relationships with clients using a trauma informed peer support model.
• Demonstrate SAMHSA’s Core Competencies for Peer Workers in work with clients: recovery oriented, person-centered, voluntary, and relationship focused; and the National Practice Standards for Peer Supporters in work with clients.
• Collaborate with OMPD staff across divisions, including administrative staff, paralegals, attorneys, and Client Support Team staff, to provide holistic, client centered representation.
• Use shared lived experiences to inspire hope and to provide linkages to a variety of recovery, mental health, community supports, and services for individuals OMPD represents.
• Engage clients with goal setting methods to identify services, resources, develop timelines, and partner with clients to succeed in self-determined goals, and monitor success.
• Support the defense team by being present regularly at court, including the first appearance court, OMPD’s office, and the Denver Detention Center (jail), to provide timely peer support.
• Visit clients in Denver jails and partner with clients to create reentry plans and supports connections…