Peer Support Worker​/Specialist

Basic Function: The Peer Support Specialist will provide emotional support and empathy, advocate for least restrictive environment, help individuals deescalate themselves, promote engagement with community supports, serve as a role model, hope-filled engagement and support to individuals in crisis, assist individuals in advocating for their choices, needs, and rights, serve as a bridge between individuals and clinical staff, and provide resources and guidance to help individuals navigate behavioral health and community support systems.

This position requires work on-site and off-site in the community. This position is open to daytime (8am - 4pm) evening (4pm - 12am), nights (12am - 8am) and weekends.
This is not a hybrid position.

Reports To
:
Crisis Continuum of Care Manager

• Ability to self-transport within the community within 60 minutes of receiving a crisis call. The Peer Support Specialist will work collaboratively with the members of the crisis team.
• Assist clients with symptom management and recovery by modeling wellness, personal responsibility, self-advocacy, and hopefulness through the sharing of his or her story, in the process role modeling how the needs of individuals can be met.
• Provide guidance and encouragement to clients to actively participate in their own recovery. Teach clients self-advocacy skills.
• Promote personal growth and development with mental health issues.
• Assist, teach, and support clients regarding activities of daily living, vocational skills, housing access, maintaining financial support, and building support networks.
• Provide side-by-side support, coaching and encouragement to help clients socialize and carry out leisure-time activities in the evenings, weekends, and holidays. Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities and provide other opportunities to practice social skills.
• Link clients to other external sources of help when needed.
• Assist clients in identifying with other consumers who have done well in recovery.
• When appropriate, share with clients his/her own experiences with mental illness and recovery.
• Attend and participate in team meetings and supervision meetings.

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all client interactions and support activities.
• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Excel in a professional environment is needed

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Has individual lived experience, or experience as a caregiver of a child, with behavioral health needs.
• Minimum of 2-4 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations, community mental health, human services, social services, or a related field.
• Must obtain CRSS certification within 1 year of hire.
• Must be at least 21years of age and hold a valid Driver’s License.

• Strong understanding of community resources and social services.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates the ability to work within agency structure, accept supervision, and participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, when applicable Ability to handle high-stress situations with professionalism and composure.
• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities.
• Firm understanding and ability to document all client interactions.
• Comfortability working in an emotionally charged environment.
• Final candidates will be required to complete and successfully pass a background check prior to hire

Mental/Physical Demands:
Ability to conceptualize and solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. While…