OH START Family Peer Mentor

Mental Health America Of Northern Kentucky And Southwest Ohio•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

Mental Health America of Northern Kentucky and Southwest Ohio is seeking a Family Peer Mentor to join its Ohio START team. The position provides peer support, encouragement, advocacy, and system navigation assistance to parents and caregivers involved with child welfare and recovery-related services. Working collaboratively with child welfare professionals, behavioral health providers, and community partners, the Family Peer Mentor supports family stability, child safety, recovery, and long-term success. The role uses personal experience navigating family, recovery, or related systems to build trust, promote hope, and help families access resources and supports. Work combines office-based and community-based settings and includes local travel to serve families and attend meetings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The organization describes itself as an advocate for wellness for everyone and encourages employees to explore their talents and work toward a satisfying career experience. It appreciates diversity and encourages people of all experiences, backgrounds, and cultures to share their talents. Mental Health America of Northern Kentucky and Southwest Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Employment decisions are made without regard to protected status under applicable law.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
Personal experience navigating child welfare, recovery, family support, behavioral health, or related systems that enables effective peer support to participating families.
Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and proof of automobile insurance.
Ability to obtain and maintain Ohio Peer Recovery Supporter certification if not already certified.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Empathy, professionalism, and the ability to maintain healthy boundaries.
Commitment to recovery-oriented, family-centered, and strengths-based practices.
Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
Strong organization, documentation, and follow-through skills.
Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect for all individuals and families.

Responsibilities

Provide peer support, coaching, encouragement, and advocacy to families participating in Ohio START.
Build supportive relationships that empower families to identify strengths, set goals, and work toward greater stability and independence.
Assist families in navigating child welfare, behavioral health, recovery, and community service systems.
Participate in family meetings, case planning activities, and interdisciplinary team discussions.
Connect families with community resources, natural supports, and service providers.
Help identify and address barriers that impact participation in services and recovery efforts.
Support families in developing self-advocacy, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Maintain timely and accurate documentation of services and family progress.
Participate in supervision, staff meetings, training opportunities, and community collaborations.
Travel locally within the community to serve families and attend meetings.