Certified Peer Counselor - OAKLAND

Bay Area Community Services • Piedmont, CA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Counselor, CalMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist for our Alameda County is responsible for the provision of field-based direct services and provides engaging peer support in a self-help format to individuals and their families working towards their recovery. The Peer Counselor uses their personal experiences to coach individuals and families through their wellness and recovery goals and plans. This work will entail all aspects of field-based service including needs for assessment, carrying out the plan of care, individual peer counseling and rehabilitation support, crisis support and referrals/linkages to more long term supports that promote an individual's wellness. The Peer Counselor will work independently and as part of a team and will manage their own schedule for the outreach, engagement, participant appointments, and extensive local travel that are pertinent to a participant's plan of care. The position will adhere to all regulatory productivity/direct service expectations. The Peer Counselor must have lived, personal experience as a consumer of mental health services and history of justice involvement.

Requirements

• Peer certification required. CalMHSA Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist or equivalent.
• Peer support experience required.
• Lived experience as a consumer of mental health services and personal justiceinvolvement.
• High school diploma required.
• Use of a computer or electronic platform to document work is required.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual in threshold language as stated in BACS policy preferred.
• Experience navigating the social services system personally highly preferred.
• Experience working in various community settings and navigating unique characteristics of communities.

Responsibilities

• Ensures program offerings are welcoming, engaging, and barrier free from a peer perspective.
• Provides mentoring (responsibility modeling) and shared experience counseling to participants and families where they are in the community.
• Participates in ongoing peer support visits with current participants on a regular determined basis according to program standards to support their continued engagement in service.
• Provides individualized peer support, peer counseling, skill-building, and intervention based on the plan of care and individual needs of the participant as well as coordinated needs of the program.
• Provides crisis support to individuals based on emergent needs of the participant as well as coordinated needs of the program.
• Provides individualized linkages to other services based on the plan of care and individual needs of the participants as well as the coordinated needs of the program.
• Provides orientation to self-help resources to program members based on recovery and wellness principles.
• Maintains a defined caseload of participants as indication by the program design and team model. Works with all participants in the program flexibly when needed and based on program design.
• Maintain a complex calendar of appointments with participants, dedicated time for engagement, appointments with other providers and natural supports, etc.
• Documents all services in to progress notes and billable services according to contract and regulatory guidelines.
• Meets defined productivity guidelines set by the program.
• Works in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team by providing team coordination and collaboration.

Benefits

• Starting at $27.00 per hour, then $30.00 per hour after satisfactory performance and achievement of all job related goals and requirements for the 90 day introductory period.
• Fully paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage for employees and children.
• +3% salary differential for "threshold" language fluency in Alameda county (Chinese, Cantonese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Farsi, Cambodian and Tagalog)
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and life insurance coverage options for employees, plus a vision reimbursement program. Children’s healthcare coverage is available for as little as $25/month. Average employer-paid benefit value: approximately $913/month per enrolled individual. BACS contributions apply to company-sponsored plans only.
• 403b plan
• 31 days off (PTO/Holiday)
• Significant internal growth opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED