Peer Support Specialist

Location: Township of Columbia
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* Job Description:

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* Job Title:

** Peer Support Specialist
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* Location:

** Columbia, Missouri
** Departments:
** Adult Community Services
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* Employment Type:

** Full Time
** Must be a Certified Missouri Peer Specialist with at least a high school diploma or GED.  
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* Job Summary:

** Our Peer Support Specialist provides recovery-focused support to individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Drawing upon their personal experience with mental illness, peers offer hope, inspiration, and guidance to those seeking to manage symptoms, navigate complex systems, and reclaim their lives. By combining their own experiences with formal training, peers play a critical role in fostering growth, independence, and recovery among people navigating mental health challenges.
** This position offers…**
* ** Employee Assistance Program**– 24/7 counseling services, legal assistance, & financial consultation for you and your household at no cost
* ** Mileage Reimbursement** – Company paid for work functions requiring travel
* ** Employee Discounts** – Hotels, Theme Parks & Attractions, College Tuition
* ** Workplace Culture**- An environment cultivating employee wellbeing, valuing each individual's humanity, and actively promoting a healthy, joyful workforce
* ** Additional Perks & Benefits**- Scroll down to bottom of this post to learn more
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* Key Responsibilities:

*** Empower individuals with mental illness to recognize their strengths, set goals, and make informed decisions about their lives.
* Support individuals in advocating for themselves and accessing needed resources and services, while also advocating on behalf of consumers to improve systems and policies.
* Provide emotional support through active listening, validation, encouragement, and sharing personal experiences in ways that inspire hope and resilience.
* Assist individuals during crises, helping de-escalate situations, connecting them to appropriate services, and supporting coping skills development.
* Teach practical skills like problem solving, communication, stress management, symptom management, and relapse prevention.
* Connect individuals to relevant community resources, such as housing, employment, education, vocational training, transportation, financial assistance, and peer support groups.
* Guide individuals through complex service systems, explaining options and benefits, facilitating appointments, and accompanying individuals to meetings with service providers.
* Encourage a recovery-oriented philosophy focused on wellness, self-determination, and person-centered planning.
* Adhere to ethical guidelines and codes of conduct, safeguarding privacy, obtaining consent, avoiding dual relationships, and practicing self-care.
** Education, Experience, and/or Credential

Qualifications:

*** Must be a Certified Missouri Peer Specialist with at least a high school diploma or GED.
* Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
* Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
* Ability to communicate effectively before groups of clients, employees of the organization, family members, and other contacts in the community.
* Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
* Ability to apply common-sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
* Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
* Shall successfully complete all mandatory continuing education to maintain certificate and successfully complete CPR, First Aid, and CPI Training.
* Shall be able to establish effective relationships via telephone and personal contacts.
* Shall be able to follow direction and accept supervision.
* Shall have the ability to work with a variety of human problems and the competence to handle crisis intervention.
* Shall be able to enter clinical documentation into a computerized record system.
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* Additional Qualifications:

*** A valid driver's license and a reliable vehicle.
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
* Ability to work…