Peer Emergency Services Specialist

Community Care Network•Rutland, VT

About The Position

Community Care Network (CCN), comprised of Rutland Mental Health Services and Rutland Community Programs, seeks a Peer Emergency Services Specialist in Rutland, Vermont. CCN’s mission is to enhance the well-being of communities, individuals, and families through responsive, innovative, and collaborative human services. The Peer Emergency Services Specialist is an active member of the Emergency Services Team, providing peer support to children and adults through a crisis services program operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The specialist serves as a role model, consumer advocate, and support system. Drawing on relevant personal experience when appropriate and helpful to the client, the specialist fosters hope and resilience and helps reduce the stigmatization of mental illness. Services include peer support, group facilitation, coping skills, coaching, and emotion regulation skills. The position offers opportunities for creativity and for developing areas of interest in the delivery of services and supports. The specialist supports clients in pursuing recovery and stability, developing crisis and recovery plans, identifying coping strategies and supports, and connecting with community resources. Work takes place in the community, clients’ homes, local provider locations, and CCN, and may involve transportation, face-to-face or remote contact, and leisure activities for psychosocial support. The role also involves documentation, coordination with providers and agencies, team participation, training, and community education.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Maintain state certification as it evolves, completing additional training and examination requirements in a timely manner.
Ability to work alternative schedules, including evenings and weekends, as needed.
Ability to use computers and necessary software to complete client documentation.
Knowledge of maintaining and executing confidential information in accordance with HIPAA standards.
Knowledge and ability to work effectively with adults experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms as part of a professional care team.
Understanding of the etiology and treatment of mental illness.
Ability to provide recovery-oriented mentoring and support.
Ability to work with clients and their families in a community-based setting.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team and exercise mature, professional judgment.
Ability to participate in creating and adhering to a personal wellness plan that includes appropriate options for ongoing mental health care.
Highly motivated self-starter able to coordinate multiple projects at once.
Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to work in a fast-paced professional environment.
Excellent organizational skills.
Ability to appropriately utilize supervision.
Ability to enter stressful situations calmly and professionally and make appropriate assessments.
Computer literacy, including MS Outlook (email, calendar, and tasks), MS Word, and MS Internet Explorer software.
Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and personal automobile liability insurance at or above State of Vermont-mandated levels.
Successful completion of a criminal history background check after hire.

Responsibilities

Act as a role model for individuals seeking to achieve or maintain long-term stability.
Assist clients in articulating personal recovery goals through appropriate use of outpatient services.
Guide clients in creating crisis and recovery plans using their skills, strengths, supports, and resources.
Help people with long or recurrent involvement in psychiatric, forensic, or substance abuse facilities identify precipitating events, coping skills, and strategies to change recurring patterns.
Help individuals reflect on crisis experiences and identify what may help them avoid, manage, and recover from a crisis.
Assist individuals in accessing formal and informal regional supports and internet resources as appropriate.
Participate in face-to-face, telephone, and internet-based support meetings, as well as leisure activities for psychosocial support.
Provide supportive, social, and psychoeducational contact in the community, clients’ homes, local provider locations, and at CCN.
Transport individuals when necessary for support and guidance.
Assist individuals, providers, and the Emergency Services Team with referrals to community services.
Coordinate and communicate within the agency and participate in interagency planning and service coordination as directed.
Document service contacts and maintain case records in accordance with agency, state, program, and accrediting requirements, including use of the EMR.
Meet with the immediate supervisor to support professional growth, review and process case management services, and address administrative matters.
Attend and participate in trainings, staff meetings, regular team meetings, and supervision as scheduled or required.
Participate in community networking, education, and support activities.
Maintain professional standards regarding client rights and demonstrate understanding of confidentiality, boundaries, professional ethics, mandated abuse reporting, and duty-to-warn procedures.
Provide staff training in areas of expertise and participate in community education activities when requested by the supervisor.
Adhere to agency and program standards, philosophy, policies, and procedures.