CTHCA Peer Counselor, MB-50111

CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE COLVILLE RESERVATION•Coulee City, WA

2d•$33 - $39•Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Counselor provides peer-to-peer support to individuals and families affected by behavioral health challenges, substance use, grief, trauma, recovery, or significant life crises. The role calls for empathetic, nonjudgmental, culturally responsive support, appropriate use of personal lived experience, and respect for individual choices, social cues, privacy, and boundaries. The counselor must recognize when clinical, medical, or emergency intervention is needed and follow established safety and escalation procedures without working outside the position’s scope. The position is based in Nespelem, Washington, and requires travel throughout the CTHCA service area. The schedule may include evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call response as assigned. The position reports to the Clinical Director.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Relevant lived experience supporting effective peer-to-peer connection with individuals or families affected by behavioral health challenges, substance use, grief, trauma, recovery, or significant life crisis.
Ability to obtain and maintain required peer-support certification or credentialing if applicable to assigned duties or funding requirements.
Successful completion of required background checks and satisfaction of CTHCA employment requirements; applicable clearances must be maintained throughout employment.
Valid Washington State Driver’s License, ability to travel throughout the CTHCA service area, and ability to meet applicable CTHCA vehicle insurance requirements.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, and on-call response as assigned.
Knowledge of peer-support principles, trauma-informed care, grief and loss, crisis response, recovery, resilience, and community-based support, or ability to obtain this knowledge through required training.
Ability to provide empathetic, nonjudgmental support to people experiencing intense grief, trauma, fear, anger, confusion, or emotional distress.
Ability to remain calm, dependable, and professional in emotionally charged, unpredictable, or high-stress situations.
Ability to recognize when immediate clinical, medical, or emergency intervention is needed and follow safety and escalation procedures without exceeding the role’s scope.
Knowledge of local behavioral health, substance use, grief, medical, social service, cultural, and community resources, or ability to learn about available resources.
Ability to respect personal and cultural boundaries and avoid being intrusive, pressuring individuals to engage, overstaying, or imposing personal beliefs or expectations.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and provide culturally responsive support within Tribal and community settings.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, document objectively, and manage sensitive information appropriately.
Ability to work independently in the field while maintaining communication with supervision and following established procedures.
Ability to use electronic health records, email, Microsoft Office applications, mobile devices, and other technology required for communication and documentation.
If the position is safety sensitive, successful completion of pre-employment drug testing; the position is also subject to reasonable-suspicion and post-accident drug testing.
Tribal member and Indian preference applies; preference also applies to honorably discharged veterans who are minimally qualified.

Responsibilities

Provide empathetic, nonjudgmental peer support to individuals and families experiencing behavioral health challenges, substance use, grief, trauma, recovery, or significant life crises.
Use personal lived experience appropriately as a peer-support tool while maintaining professional boundaries and respecting the experiences and choices of others.
Recognize when immediate clinical, medical, or emergency intervention is needed and follow established escalation and safety procedures.
Meet individuals and families where they are, respect their choices and responses, and determine when to offer support, step back, or refer for additional assistance.
Recognize verbal and non-verbal social cues, including when individuals or families need privacy or space or wish to end an interaction.
Communicate respectfully with individuals, families, providers, first responders, community partners, and CTHCA team members.
Provide culturally responsive support in Tribal and community settings.
Maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, document objectively, and handle sensitive information appropriately.
Work independently in the field while staying in communication with supervision and following established procedures.
Use electronic health records, email, Microsoft Office applications, mobile devices, and other required technology for communication and documentation.
Travel throughout the CTHCA service area and work evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, or on-call shifts as assigned.