Bilingual Peer Support Specialist - Warmline

NAMI San Diego & Imperial Counties (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a nonprofit organization that provides free education, support services, and advocacy to improve the quality of life of everyone affected by mental health conditions.

The Warmline is a crisis prevention call center that is staffed solely by Peer Support Specialists who have a compassionate understanding of navigating through mental health conditions. The line operates seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.. This role is currently conducted remotely, requiring internet access and using a laptop. Function includes, but is not limited to, answering live phone calls, returning of voice messages promptly, collecting and entering demographic information, documenting calls in database, providing appropriate resources, and referring individuals to the Access and Crisis Line in the event of a mental health emergency.

Must be able to train, mentor and role model for additional Peer Support Specialists who may be volunteering on peer support line.

Bilingual English/Spanish required.

Part-time, up to 19 hours a week. This role is intended to provided coverage and fill in when there is a gap in scheduling, thus the hours may be inconsistent per week but planned ahead.

• Answer live phone calls, applying the peer approach of active listening and support.

• Prompt response to voicemails left on the Warmline.

• Collect and enter demographic and call information accurately and timely into the database.

• Provide appropriate resources, and recognize when a caller needs to be referred to the Access and Crisis Line.

• Utilize recovery language, trauma informed care, and human-centered approach to supporting callers and working with staff.

• Mentor and be a role model to new peers and volunteers.

• Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings and trainings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reports to Signature Program Manager.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• Prolonged periods of standing and walking.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

• Spanish/English bilingual - must be fluent in Spanish and English.
• Must reside in California for this remote position.
• Active certificate of training completion as a Peer Support Specialist.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with ability to connect with peers, one-on-one, employing active listening, problem discernment and solving strategies, empathy, identification and distribution of appropriate resources.
• Confident skills in problem solving, time management, personal and professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations, plus the ability and desire to work as part of a team.
• Advanced ability with technology such as computer applications, cloud-based phone system, web-based platforms, such as Zoom and Teams, for communication. Proficiency in data entry. Competency in Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook.
• Self-identify as a Peer and grounded in personal recovery.
• Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries and uphold ethical standards of peer specialists, including confidentiality.
• Understand San Diego County's mental health services, specifically for services and resources offered in Spanish.
• Reliable internet access and a private work setting where confidentiality of callers will be upheld.
• Able to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Reliable and consistent attendance to scheduled shifts, team meetings, and trainings.