Peer Counselor (Peer Wellness Center)

Richmond Area Multi-Servi•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

The Peer Counselor at the PWC provides trauma-informed and culturally responsive peer counseling services, including: participant engagement, facilitation of recovery, support, and activity-based groups, skills building workshops, referrals to community resources, cultural celebrations, and more. The Peer Counselor contributes to a safe and healthy environment, modelling the principles of wellness & recovery to help participants reduce isolation, build community, and become empowered to actively and collaboratively participate in their own care and recovery. As assigned, the Peer Counselor may additionally facilitate support and/or activity groups off-site at other community-based organizations within San Francisco’s system of care.

Requirements

At least a High School Diploma, or equivalent (GED, CHSPE Certificate), REQUIRED.
At least 2-3 years of direct personal “lived” experience with the community behavioral health system, REQUIRED
Must be able to travel to and from Peer Wellness Center and other locations within San Francisco

Nice To Haves

Associate of Arts (AA) degree or higher from an accredited institution, very strongly preferred
Completion of a mental health certificate program or equivalent education, very strongly preferred
Minimum of two years of peer counseling or related experience, particularly working with diverse constituencies, very strongly preferred
Applicants with ability to provide bilingual & culturally competent services in Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Russian, or Tagalog, highly preferred due to needs of the populations served
Familiarity with community behavioral health systems of care in San Francisco, including the philosophy of care, levels of care for clinical services, and the delivery of such services
Knowledge of San Francisco community resources/services (including health, mental health, substance abuse, vocational, housing, food, etc.) highly preferred
Familiarity with Wellness and Recovery Model, the Support Employment Model, and other evidenced based practices such as Wellness-Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), Seeking Safety, and more
Familiarity with working in a dynamic, activity-based, drop-in center environment is a plus
Knowledge with service delivery documentation (including counseling planning) and HIPAA standards
Ability to effectively triage clients upon first contact at reception de-escalating situations as appropriate and creating a plan of action in support of the client’s best interest
Ability to prioritize, multitask, and perform & complete duties with minimal supervision, both independently and as part of a team
Strong commitment to the philosophy, goals, & mission of RAMS in providing community-based, culturally competent, and consumer-guided mental health services to the community
Commitment to engaging in professional development activities such as trainings, continuing education seminars, case conferences, and reviewing up-to-date material, etc., as related to treatment strategies for the consumer populations served by DPH-BHS
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively, function independently, and interact professionally with a diverse, multicultural, and interdisciplinary staff of all levels
Friendly, service-oriented demeanor

Responsibilities

Facilitate recovery support groups, peer counseling group, activity-based groups, and skill-building workshops.
Skillfully engage participants who are experiencing mental health issues, alcohol and/or drug use, poverty, homelessness, and/or other barriers to stability and employment, utilizing supportive counseling, overdose prevention strategies, and a strengths-based approach.
Together with the team, help manage the Peer Wellness Center milieu by creating and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment where person-centered care is a top priority.
Provide community-based resource information and linkage for clients in need of benefits, behavioral health treatment, and medical care.
Assist with the community-based group facilitation team to extend services into the community, providing recovery support groups and activity groups at other partner sites in the system of care, including but not limited to: residential treatment centers and supportive living programs, as well as hospitals and other clinical settings.
Support participants through individual services, as needed, including: one-on-one support sessions and individualized wellness reviews in support of the participant’s health goals.
Assist the program in holding special events and outreach activities, including cultural celebrations and open houses (both on-site and in the community).
Collaborate with care providers, as appropriate, and other related services for participant well-being. This may include attending care planning meetings, preparing necessary documentation and reports, and regular communication with care providers
Assist participants in accessing, navigating, and following up on the use of resources in the community, including: transportation, housing, decision-making, assistive technology, language, government programs, cultural adjustment, immigration services, food assistance, legal assistance, women’s services, medical assistance, mental health services, vocational services, and education programs, and any other services that may support the participants on overcoming external barriers to well-being and self-sufficiency
Maintain timely administrative and service documentation and records related to participant care and program-related monitoring, in accordance to standards specified by RAMS policies and oversight agencies (e.g. Dept. of Public Health)
Develop and maintain clear, open, timely, cooperative, and diplomatic communications and working relations with all staff, participants, and partner agencies
Engage in proactive and productive teamwork in a collaborative and flexible manner.
Serve as model of professional standards for participants
Participate in supervision meetings, wellness reviews, staff meetings, in-service training and other staff development activities
Perform other duties as assigned