Youth Peer Support Specialist

Youth Peer Support Specialist at Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth, Inc.

This range is provided by Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth, Inc.. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$31,586.05/yr - $42,734.07/yr

Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth, Inc. (DGS) is the largest provider of outpatient behavioral health services to children and families in Delaware. We operate offices in Wilmington, Newark, Dover, Lewes, and Seaford, and we are the only statewide not-for-profit outpatient behavioral health organization for children and adolescents accredited by JCAHO. In 2020, we were honored as a Compassionate Champion for our dedication to serving youth and families using a trauma-informed approach.

Through DGS, clients and families have access to outpatient counseling, group therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, and school-based services. Our community-based service lines serve youth and families who require a more intense therapeutic protocol. DGS’ 24-hour statewide Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) dispatches skilled crisis intervention clinicians to provide immediate care to children experiencing behavioral health crises. Therapeutic options are available for a wide range of diagnoses including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, traumatic stress-related disorders, and suicidal ideation.

In 2021, DGS clinicians provided over 54,000 direct care hours to children, youth, and families in Delaware. Over 93% of clients report improvement in their level of functioning following treatment, and therapeutic benefits derived from trauma-informed care extend to clients’ siblings, caregivers, classmates, and peers.

Our client population is racially and ethnically diverse; 80% of DGS clients are Medicaid recipients and 90% have household incomes under $30,000. Many of our clients present with significant treatment challenges including learning impacts due to missed school and negative economic impact due to parental missed work. We provide care to anyone in need, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay for care.

DGS also provides services specifically tailored to meet the unique behavioral health care needs of child welfare‑involved families and foster youth.

• Competitive Compensation
• Incentive Pay for Specific Roles
• Generous Paid Time Off (starting at 44 days of paid leave a year)
• Up to 8% Annual Contribution to Your Retirement Fund
• Free Professional Development Opportunities
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Life and Long‑term Disability Insurance

Under the supervision of the Crisis Clinical Coordinator, the Youth Peer Support Specialist will provide peer mentoring services, including peer counseling, mentoring, support, and advocacy according to the needs, interests and perspectives of youth receiving services from the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program due to an identified crisis. The ultimate goal of peer mentoring is to engage the youth in the support available, advocate for the needs of the youth, and assist in transitioning into other support services that may be needed in the community.

The focus of the Youth Peer Support Specialist is to support the youth during the risk assessment that occurs when a request is made to the MRSS program and to provide ongoing mentoring while the MRSS case is open. The Youth Peer Support Specialist will work closely with the MRSS crisis clinician to help the youth achieve their goals and find stability in the community.

In addition, the incumbent is responsible for documentation of mentoring services provided from intake through discharge. This position is available due to grant funding that will end on September 30, 2025.

• Maintain professional, trauma-informed, and empathetic interactions during crisis interactions with children, families, and stakeholders
• Use critical thinking and risk…