Peer Counselor

Lifeline Connections • Vancouver, WA

14h • $19 - $23 • Hybrid

About The Position

Lifeline Connections is a community-based behavioral health organization that specializes in providing confidential and compassionate care to individuals who experience substance use and/or mental health conditions. Our Vision - As the premier provider of substance use and mental health services in the Pacific Northwest, we are respected and the most trusted resource for behavioral health treatment and whole-person care. We provide a comprehensive continuum of coordinated quality services, foster enduring relationships, and empower our communities to truly thrive. Our Mission - Through superior customer service, high quality programs, and well-trained and dedicated staff, we inspire hope and support lifesaving changes for people affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Possess certification as a Certified Peer Counselor consistent with WAC 246-341, or ability and willingness to obtain certification within 60 days of employment, and disclose self to be a person in recovery from substance use
• In successful recovery for 2 or more years and/or a family member of an individual with substance use disorder.
• Current Washington State Department of Health agency affiliated credentials required prior to starting the position
• Familiarity with Washington State regulations related to the provision of mental health services (RCW 71.05) and substance use services (WAC 246-341)
• Current unencumbered driver license and proof of current car insurance required
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Great attendance
• Ability to work well with others

Nice To Haves

• College degree in a social science preferred

Responsibilities

• Provide peer counseling and support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate clients’ experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.
• Serve as a mentor to clients to promote hope and empowerment.
• Act as an interpreter to help non-mental health consumer team members better understand and empathize with each client’s unique and subjective experience and perceptions.
• Provide expertise and consultation from a mental health consumer perspective to the entire team concerning clients’ experiences on symptoms of mental illness, the effects and side-effects of medications, clients’ responses to and opinions of treatment, and clients’ experiences of recovery.
• Collaborate with the team to promote a team culture in which each client’s point of view, experiences, and preferences are recognized, understood, and respected, and in which client self-determination and decision-making in treatment planning are maximized and supported.
• Help clients identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self-stigma.
• Help other team members identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and develop strategies to eliminate stigma within the team.
• Collaborate with the team to ensure the protection of clients’ rights in order to help clients to improve their knowledge of client rights and grievance or complaint procedures.
• Collaborate with the team to help clients learn about pertinent grievance procedures and support clients with filing, mediating, and resolving complaints.
• Increase awareness of and support client participation in consumer self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that promote recovery.
• Serve as the liaison between the team and consumer-run programs such as self-help groups and drop-in centers.
• Shared duties in the provision of treatment and substance abuse services.

Benefits

• Multiple options for medical coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Multiple options for dental coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Multiple options for vision coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Employer-paid Short Term Disability
• Employer-paid Long Term Disability
• Employer-paid Life Insurance
• Access to supplemental coverage options
• 401(k) retirement plan for full-time employees and eligible part-time employees
• Generous paid time off (PTO) for full-time and part-time employees
• PTO accrual rates increase with years of service
• Paid holidays
• Paid personal holidays

What This Job Offers

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