Peer Specialist - Mobile Crisis Team - 3613

Indian Rivers Behavioral Health•Tuscaloosa, AL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mobile Crisis Team Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) provides crisis intervention and recovery-oriented support to individuals experiencing mental health or substance use-related crises. The CPS travels with the Mobile Crisis Team, helps clients address immediate problems, and refers them to appropriate clinical staff or services when needed. The position involves educating and encouraging clients, developing therapeutic relationships, modeling recovery and coping skills, communicating relevant information to clinicians and other staff, and documenting client information accurately and promptly. The CPS works independently and with teams, follows organizational policies and applicable ADMH standards, SAMHSA guidelines, and best practices for Mobile Crisis Teams, and supports safety, compliance, HIPAA, and quality improvement requirements. The role serves clients in varied settings, including the outpatient center, clients’ homes, community settings, residential programs, and transport vehicles. The work may involve stressful and unpredictable situations, active psychiatric symptoms, unstable living circumstances, and some risk from aggressive or out-of-control clients. Onsite physical presence is essential.

Requirements

Must be a present or past client of behavioral health services.
Willingness to obtain Peer Specialist Certification from the Alabama Department of Mental Health is required.
High school diploma or equivalent required.
Must be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.
Must communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Must have knowledge and skills sufficient to establish effective relationships with clients who have mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
Must be knowledgeable about mental illnesses, substance use disorders, the recovery model, and psychosocial rehabilitation.
Must understand the treatment methods and services provided by the agency and work within the organization to serve client needs.
Must be able to work effectively in crisis situations and independently or as part of a team with minimum supervision.
Must be able to perform the primary duties satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must be knowledgeable about and abide by HIPAA regulations concerning protected health information.
Must maintain current TB testing, CPR/First Aid, and CPI.
Must have normal or corrected hearing and vision and sensory abilities to communicate and interact with employees, clients, and the public.
Must be able to use office equipment such as a computer, copier, multi-line phone, and fax machine.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds and negotiate several sets of stairs during an eight-hour shift.
Physical presence onsite is essential.

Responsibilities

Travel with the Mobile Crisis Team to provide crisis intervention services to individuals experiencing mental health or substance use-related crises.
Educate clients about available services, the recovery process, recovery techniques, and self-care needs; provide support and encouragement.
Use and teach problem-solving techniques, and teach clients to identify and address negative self-talk and fears.
Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships to help identify emotional, psychiatric, or behavioral changes that may require intervention or treatment.
Help clients resolve problems and refer them to appropriate clinical staff when needed.
Communicate relevant client matters to clinicians and other staff; attend staff meetings and contribute to interdisciplinary treatment planning.
Document appropriate information in client records promptly and accurately.
Model effective communication, recovery-oriented living skills, coping techniques, and self-help strategies.
Maintain knowledge of trends and developments in mental health, and develop and share recovery-oriented materials with other CPSs.
Attend continuing education assemblies when offered by the ADMH.
Serve as a recovery agent by providing and advocating for effective recovery-based services.
Perform assigned duties in accordance with IRBH policies and procedures, ADMH standards, SAMHSA guidelines, and Mobile Crisis Team best practices.
Follow safety, fire-prevention, health, Code of Conduct, compliance, HIPAA, security, attendance, and punctuality requirements.
Maintain required TB testing, CPR/First Aid, and CPI status, and report infections and on-the-job injuries as required.
Identify opportunities to improve the quality of departmental and organizational services.
Complete other duties assigned by the Supervisor or Crisis Center Director.