Peer Specialist - Watkins, CO - 10864

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless • Watkins, CO

17d • $25 - $25 • Onsite

About The Position

Through lived experience that includes recovery from substance use, homelessness, and/or effective treatment of mental health conditions, the Peer Specialist offers insight & first-hand knowledge to support clients, families, and their integrated teams. You will work to support clients with various challenges to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals by focusing on strengths, empowerment, and advocacy.
Due to grant funding lived and recovery experience is required

Requirements

• Must be a person with lived experience including substance use disorders and/or mental health challenges.
• Must have a minimum of 1-year continuous recovery from relevant lived experience described above and maintain recovery throughout employment.
• Demonstrates a clear understanding of confidentiality protocols & adheres to privacy laws/organizational policies regarding sensitive information.
• Engages in meaningful & authentic interactions through active listening, trauma-informed care, and empathy that promote trust.
• Recognizes professional boundaries and identifies potential conflicts of interests to maintain ethical standards in interactions with clients, coworkers, and stakeholders.
• Establishes trust and rapport with individuals, even in challenging or sensitive situations, to foster openness and respect.
• Actively advocates for the needs & rights of individuals/families to ensure access to necessary services, resources, and support systems identified by the clients they serve.
• Demonstrates awareness and continuously seeks to learn & apply inclusive language that respects diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
• Collaborates cross-departmentally with other Coalition Peer Specialists to grow & contribute to the success of program objectives, culture, & a positive working environment.
• Adheres to all state, county, and organization policies/laws regarding mandatory reporting.
• Must be able to adhere to process protocol.
• Ability to effectively interface and utilize technology to complete work.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with others.
• Must be able to remain calm, think clearly, and apply sound judgement in high-pressure situations.
• Valid driver’s license required. This requirement may be waived, if necessary, based on overall candidate experience and current needs of the business.

Nice To Haves

• Completion of accredited Peer Specialist training program highly preferred. Ability to enroll and/or complete training program within the first 6 months of employment
• Bi-lingual English-Spanish and/or ASL preferred but not required.
• Prior peer mentoring experience serving individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges and/or homelessness highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides mentorship and support to clients through personal lived experience to build skills in goal setting & problem solving with an emphasis on individual strengths, resilience, and empowerment.
• Facilitates counseling and activities for clients in recovery from substance use disorders in individual or group settings to promote connection and agency.
• Helps clients coordinate & navigate critical services including healthcare, housing assistance, and behavioral health in partnership with internal teams & outside community partners.
• Transport and/or escorts clients to scheduled appointments at Coalition properties and elsewhere as needed.
• Collaborates alongside Coalition staff to foster trusting relationships with clients and ensure services provided are timely while aligned to individual goals.
• Responsible for ongoing client outreach within the community to monitor needs that are recovery oriented.
• Ensure timely & accurate use of all company systems as required while maintaining complete up-to-date records and any future upgrades as directed.

Benefits

• Choice of HMO or PPO health insurance coverage options: full-time employees contribute only 1% of their earnings for their own HMO health coverage and no more than 4% of their earnings for coverage of eligible dependents. We’re proud to offer same-and opposite-sex domestic partner coverage.
• Choice of dental insurance or discount plan.
• Vision insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts for health care / dependent care / parking expenses.
• Free basic life and AD&D insurance coverage.
• Employee Assistance Program, a problem-solving resource available to you and your household members.
• Dollar-for-dollar retirement plan matching contributions up to 5% of earnings with 3-year vesting.
• Extensive paid time-off, including 9 holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and three weeks of vacation for new full-time employees in their first year.
• The effective date for your benefits will be the first of the month following your date of hire.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees