Peer Recovery Counselor (CST Onyx)

Trilogy Careers•Chicago, IL

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Recovery Counselor assesses clients’ personal, medical, emotional, social, and environmental situations through home, community, and office visits, and supports individually based treatment and recovery from mental illness. The role provides client-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed services to people with severe mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use or addiction disorders, using a harm-reduction approach. At least 75% of community support services are provided in the community. The counselor advocates for clients, connects them with community services, and completes case-management work within a shared caseload. Crisis and on-call coverage are also provided as assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting, or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in any field.
Must be a past or present consumer of mental health services and willing to share a personal recovery story with clients.
Valid Illinois driver’s license and daily access to a well-maintained vehicle with $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance.
Obtain a CRSS credential within 12 months of hire.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with people with mental health and/or substance abuse diagnoses.
Experience in community-based services.
IM+CANS certification; may be required to obtain it within 30 days of hire.

Responsibilities

Assess clients’ personal, medical, emotional, social, and environmental situations through home, community, and office visits.
Coordinate an individual recovery plan with the client, their support system, and other care providers.
Model effective communication, recovery-oriented living, coping, and self-help skills.
Participate in Peer Support meetings and activities, recognize signs of burnout or feeling overwhelmed, and seek and provide support.
Obtain a CRSS credential within 12 months of hire.
Complete timely daily progress notes and other client-care documentation, including IMCANS, LOCUS, and tracking forms in the Electronic Medical Record.
Identify opportunities for clients to move to appropriate levels of care and provide referrals as indicated.
Help clients identify signs and symptoms of decompensation; assess crisis situations and the need for stabilization through hospitalization.
Work with clients to identify coping skills for managing symptoms and stressors.
Provide psychoeducation, medication training, and monitoring according to agency policy; coordinate with the team nurse or pharmacy to ensure medication accuracy; document medication administration in real time on the MAR.
Help clients learn and improve independent living skills, including personal hygiene, housekeeping, nutrition, and shopping.
Educate and assist clients with applications for entitlements such as SSI, SSDI, Medicare, Medicaid, and LINK.
Understand the representative payeeship process and provide individualized client money-management services according to agency policy.
Accompany and transport clients to important community appointments and support them with housing, substance use, budgeting, social support, and medication-related issues.
Advocate for clients and empower them to advocate for themselves when appropriate.
Communicate and collaborate effectively with the multidisciplinary team, participate in electronic team communications, and attend daily team meetings to consult on the shared caseload.
Provide on-call and crisis coverage as assigned.
Perform other related duties or projects as assigned.

Benefits

$1,500 sign-on bonus
Free virtual primary care, urgent care, and mental health counseling for all employees
Paid maternity and paternity leave
Medical insurance (BCBS of IL)
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Long-term and short-term disability
Pet insurance
Flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care, and transit
Telemedicine
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
403(b) retirement plan with employer match