Certified Peer Specialist

Apis Services Inc•Claymont, DE

4d•$17

About The Position

The Peer Specialist is a person who is recovering from a mental health and/or substance use condition(s), and is responsible for providing peer support to other individuals who are receiving services for those conditions. The Peer Specialist will provide support that is trauma-informed based on three principles; learning versus helping, relationship versus the individual, and hope and possibility versus fear. The Peer Specialist works on an interdisciplinary team and provide advocacy, insight, and support to other team members and service recipients about the successes and challenges faced by individuals who are living with mental health and/or substance use condition(s). Peer should be certified or willing to work on their certification

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED preferred
Experience with underserved populations preferred
Excellent communication skills and organizational skills
Excellent ability to work with clients with substance abuse, co-occurring and/or mental health disorders
Excellent writing skills and record-keeping skills

Nice To Haves

Computer knowledge of MS Office, and other HR applications is a plus, not required.
Possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
Must be proactive, organized, and possess great follow-up skills.
Must have the skill/ability to collaborate, partner with, and provide exceptional customer support to a variety of affiliate partners within the organization.
Ability to deal with diverse populations
Ability to route patient's problems and concerns to appropriate sources
Ability to stay within boundaries of the role and function of position
Ability to recognize and de-escalate stressful situations
Organizational skills
Communication skills
Ability to evaluate and comprehend techniques, procedures and changes to meet variable situations
Able to effectively communicate with supervisors and directors to improve his/her skills and adapt to Agency culture and policies.

Responsibilities

Provides transportation to consumers, as scheduled by program administrator
Uses lived experiencing with a mental illness, substance use, or co-occurring disorders to assist in supporting clients in their recovery path
Helps clients aspire to roles which emphasize their strengths by sharing their own personal story and provide mutual support, hope, reassurance and advocacy
Provides peer support to clients regarding their symptoms and the effects of trauma and trauma history, and helping them to develop positive coping skills
Engages clients through outreach and support
Promotes recovery through modeling his/her own person story, self-confidence, achievements, and self-determination, and the use of natural supports
Provides training and education to other team members on recovery-oriented care, peer support resources, psychiatric advance directives, wellness tools, trauma informed care, and the use of creativity and the arts to promote recovery
Attends interdisciplinary team meetings
Engage clients into different community activities and resources
Assists person served to complete peer-related elements of the assessment and to prepare to attend their recovery plan meeting and to express their goals and needs
Assists clients to accomplish their life goals of living in their chosen housing and community, working, having a natural support system, and having hobbies and other leisure activities which are creative and fun.
Helps clients and staff to develop and implement person-centered treatment plans.