Peer Specialist - Per Diem

Certified Peer Specialist

Site:
Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, Inc.

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

Job Summary

The Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) is an active member of the Mental Health Program and provides peer support services to clients with serious mental illnesses in Inpatient Psychiatry. Under supervision of the Director of Inpatient Psychology, the Certified Peer Specialist will function as a role model to peers, exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills, serve as a consumer advocate, providing consumer information and peer support for clients in outpatient and inpatient settings.

The CPS performs a wide range of tasks to assist peers of all ages, from young adult to old age, in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process. Recovery resources such as booklets, tapes, pamphlets and other written materials will be utilized by the Certified Peer Specialist in the provision of services.

Essential Functions

• Assist clients in articulating personal goals for recovery using one-on-one and group sessions.
• Assist clients in working with their primary therapist or treatment team in determining the steps they need to take to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.
• Assist clients in setting up and sustaining self-help (mutual support) groups, as well as means of locating and joining existing groups.
• Utilize tools such as the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) to assist clients in creating their own individual wellness and recovery plans.
• Independently, or with periodic assistance of other treatment team members, utilize and teach problem solving techniques with individuals and groups; discussions will be utilized where clients will share common problems in daily living and methods they have employed to manage and cope with these problems.
• Use ongoing individual and group sessions to teach clients how to identify and combat negative self-talk and how to identify and overcome fears by providing a forum which allows group members and CPS to share their experiences.
• Teach and role model the value of every individual's recovery experience.
• Model effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.
• Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for any effective recovery based services that will aid the client in daily living.
• Assist in obtaining services that suit the individual's recovery needs by providing names of staff, community resources and groups that may be useful. Inform clients about community and natural supports and how to use these in the recovery process.
• Assist clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma through self-advocacy.
• The CPS will maintain a working knowledge of current trends and developments in the mental health field by reading books, journals, and other relevant materials. The CPS will continue to share recovery materials with others at continuing education seminars and other venues to be developed to support recovery-oriented services; and attend continuing education seminars and other in-service training when offered.

Required for All Jobs

Performs other duties as assigned

Complies with all policies and standards

Does this position require Patient Care (indirect/direct)? Yes

Qualifications

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent required

Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree preferred

Licenses and Credentials

Certified Peer Specialist [DBSA] - Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance required

Experience

Knowledge,

Skills and Abilities

- Identify as a person who has lived experience of mental health problems or illness(es), including being either a current or former recipient of mental health services who is in recovery.

- Knowledge of the recovery process and the ability to facilitate recovery using established standardized mental health processes.

- Knowledge and skills to teach and engage in basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.

- Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of mental illness (i.e. auditory and visual…