Peer Specialist-11531501
About The Position
Under the general supervision of the Program Director, Peer Specialists serve as role models and use personal experience to support people receiving services. They educate recipients about self-help techniques and group processes, teach coping strategies and symptom-management skills, help clarify rehabilitation and recovery goals, and support the development of community networks. Peer Specialists assist assigned individuals in developing and maintaining viable living, working, and social situations by helping them obtain medical, social, psychosocial, educational, financial, vocational, and other services. They visit recipients’ residences or apartments to provide counsel and assistance, supporting the greatest degree of independent living consistent with each recipient’s capabilities and interests. Much of the work is performed independently under general supervision. Supportive counseling helps recipients participate in community life and pursue individual goals, personal growth, and their desired level of independence.
Requirements
- Complete an internship or comparable training in peer advocacy.
- Have experience providing advocacy services to people who are mentally ill and/or homeless.
- Be authorized to work in the United States.
- Work onsite.
- Obtain either provisional or professional Peer Specialist certification within one year of hire.
- Comply with attendance, timekeeping, and agency infection-control policies.
Nice To Haves
- Past or current receipt of mental health, substance services, or homeless services.
Responsibilities
- Visit recipients’ residences to provide supportive services according to the program schedule.
- Counsel recipients on plans for meeting service needs and help them mobilize personal capabilities and environmental resources to attain goals.
- Educate recipients about self-help techniques and self-help group processes.
- Teach effective coping strategies based on personal experience and teach symptom-management skills.
- Help recipients clarify rehabilitation and recovery goals and meet service-plan goals.
- Maintain accurate, up-to-date individual case records for assigned recipients.
- Obtain and develop resource information related to recipients’ care and communicate it clearly to recipients.
- Help facilitate individualized services that meet recipients’ diverse needs and support discharge-planning goals.
- Explain available clinical services and ICL programs; help recipients develop daily living, socialization, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Conduct crisis assessments and verbal and nonverbal crisis intervention.
- Refer recipients to community resources and other organizations.
- Accompany recipients to scheduled or emergency appointments at medical facilities, social agencies, government offices, and other relevant locations.
- Advocate for recipients with outside service providers and within ICL.
- Assist recipients in finding and entering vocational or other training opportunities, working with team members to address their needs.
- Immediately report serious incidents, allegations, incidents, or sensitive situations to supervisors and complete incident reports in accordance with ICL policy.
- Account for recipients and file missing-person reports when recipients are unaccounted for, in accordance with agency policy and procedure.
- Follow attendance and timekeeping rules and report reliably and regularly to work.
- Attend clinical meetings, staff meetings, supervision, and in-service training and development activities.
- Comply with agency infection-control policies.
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Medical plan (HSA), dental, and vision plans
- 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match
- Paid vacation, personal, and sick time; mental health days; 12 paid holidays
- Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources
- Educational leave and tuition assistance
- Training and career development tracks
- Commuter benefits
- Recognition programs
- Discount programs
- Flexible spending plans
- Voluntary benefits, including pet insurance, identity theft insurance, legal plans, and voluntary ancillary benefits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
