Peer Specialist

Under the supervision of the Program Manager, provides peer recovery and care coordination services on the Integrated Care Team (ICT). This multi-disciplinary team is designed to provide outreach and comprehensive treatment and support services for a population of youth and adult family members struggling with mental illness and co-occurring chronic health conditions, or substance use.

In collaboration with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and other community providers, the goals of the Integrated Care Team are:
1) To promote the full integration and collaboration in clinical practice between primary and behavioral healthcare;
2) Identify and provide early intervention for youth and their families who are experiencing or at risk of developing chronic health issues, serious emotional disturbance or mental illness, or substance use disorder; and
3) Promote, improve and sustain the overall wellness and physical health of the target population.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another.

• Provide opportunities for individuals receiving services to direct their own recovery process.
• Teach and support acquisition and utilization of skills needed to facilitate individual recovery.
• Promote the awareness of available services, options and choices.
• Promote the identification and utilization of natural resources and support systems within the community.
• Facilitate the development of a sense of wellness, self worth, and personal control over one’s life and recovery journey
• Act as a role model to persons in recovery to inspire hope; share life experiences and lessons learned as a person with lived experience
• Model/mentor recovery process and demonstrate coping skills.
• Assist in the orientation process for persons who are new to receiving mental health and/or co-occurring treatment
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and competence in trauma informed care, as relevant to the needs of individuals in recovery.
• Identify recovering person’s abilities, strengths and assets and assist them to recognize and use them.
• Assist individuals to identify their personal interests and goals
• Support the individual in seeking to connect/reconnect with family, friends, and significant others and in learning how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships
• As appropriate, foster spiritual connections with faith based organizations, and/or participation in self‑help and mutual support groups.
• Assist individuals in develop and practicing the skills identified in his/her recovery/treatment plan. This may include coaching sessions while the individual is attending appointments or activities in the community
• Educate and engage individuals in the Wellness Recovery Action Plan process

• Have completed and passed a Peer Specialist certification program approved by the Department
• High school diploma or GED
• Have maintained, within the last three (3) years, at least 12 month of successful full or part time paid or voluntary work experience (not necessarily consecutive); OR one year post‑secondary education totaling 24 credit hours.

• Be self identified current or former user of mental health or co‑occurring services who can relate to others who have not utilized those services
• Have personal experience and knowledge of recovery
• Have demonstrated proficiency in reading and writing.
• Attend trainings on relevant topics such as behavioral health, substance use and chronic health conditions

• Ability to establish trusting relationships with peers.
• Ability to work independently and also as an integral part of multidisciplinary team
• Be able to recognize early triggers and signs of relapse
• Be able to use computer to record services or be willing to learn

• Uses and accesses information in client’s health information record or about a client only as necessary to actual duties and then only in accordance with access levels assigned to this position by…