Peer Specialist - PACT Outreach

MultiCare Health System•Tumwater, WA

69d•$25 - $35

About The Position

You Belong Here. At MultiCare, we strive to offer a true sense of belonging for all our employees. Across our health care network, you will find a dynamic range of meaningful careers, opportunities for growth, safe workplaces, and flexible schedules. We are connected by our mission - partnering and healing for a healthy future - and dedicated to the health and well-being of the communities we serve. FTE: 1.0 Shift: Day/Swing Schedule: Varies The position will begin with a standard Monday through Friday dayshift. However, as the program grows and needs evolve, candidates will need to adapt to a schedule that provides adequate coverage, including evenings and weekends, that meets requirements of fidelity. More information on this will be discussed at interview. Pact (Program for Assertive Community Treatment) is an intensive and highly integrated approach for community mental health service delivery. The multidisciplinary team shares a caseload of individuals who experience symptoms of the most serious forms of mental illness, predominantly but not exclusively the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Many individuals also experience substance abuse, victimization and trauma, psychiatric hospitalizations, arrests and incarceration, homelessness, and additional significant challenges. The symptoms and complications of mental illnesses lead to serious functioning difficulties in several areas of life, often including work, social relationships, residential independence, money management, and physical health and wellness. The Peer Specialist is a key multidisciplinary team position at MultiCare. Providing peer viewpoints about the recovery process, symptom management, and the persistence required by patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you will collaborate to promote a team culture of respect, empathy and understanding.

Requirements

High school diploma preferred OR two years paid or volunteer work experience with individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses
Successful completion of assigned training
Ability to obtain Agency Affiliated Counselor registration within 90 days of hire
Washington state Peer Counselor certification, or the ability to acquire that certification within one year of date of hire
Valid WA driver's license or a valid out-of-state license with the ability to transfer to a WA driver license within 6 months of hire
Experience as a recipient of mental health services for severe and persistent mental health illness
Proof of a safe driving record (which meets established MultiCare Standards) obtained by a motor vehicle
This position requires regular driving and mobility in community settings.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team including mental health professionals, nurses, prescribers, peer counselors, SUD specialists, and vocational staff.
Deliver recovery-oriented services such as case management, treatment planning, resource assistance, crisis intervention, and group/individual services.
Assist clients in identifying and accessing resources and collaborate with community resources on behalf of clients.
Assist clients in the development of healthy coping mechanisms in individual or group settings.
Conduct risk assessments, develop and implement safety plans, and provide crisis intervention and stabilization services as needed, including facilitating access to inpatient facilities for behavioral health care.
Provide ongoing support to clients in their homes and community environments.
Participate in the 24/7 on-call rotation and deliver after-hours support as needed.
Assist clients in a wide range of services to regain control and success in their own lives, such as developing supportive relationships, self-advocacy, stable housing, education, and employment.
Provide peer counseling and support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate patients' experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to patients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own healthcare and wellness
Serve as a mentor to patients to promote hope and empowerment
Provide consultation from a mental health consumer perspective to the entire team concerning patients' experiences on symptoms of mental illness, responses to and opinions of treatment, and experiences of recovery
Assist in the provision of direct clinical services to patients on an individual, group, and family basis in the office and in community settings to teach symptom/behavior-management techniques, support skill-building, and to strengthen skills to cope with internal and external stresses
Encourage consumer self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that promote recovery