Peer Support Specialist III

Rutgers University • Edison, NJ

19h

About The Position

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is seeking a Peer Support Specialist III within the Outpatient Services of Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare. The Peer Support Specialist III is a member of a team offering person centered, culturally competent instrumental, information and emotional support either in person or by phone. The Peer Support Specialist III uses lived experience and basic peer support skills to engage and empower persons served to support their wellness. Offers insight into the experience of living with a mental and/or substance use disorder and relevant recovery supports in order to assist staff in identifying program environments and treatment approaches that are conducive to recovery. Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care ( UBHC ), established in 1971, offers a full continuum of evidence based behavioral health and addiction services for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors throughout New Jersey. UBHC’s 1,060 experienced behavioral health professionals and support staff are dedicated to treatment, prevention, and education. UBHC , one of the largest providers of behavioral health care in the country, has a budget of $260 million and has 15 sites throughout New Jersey. Services are readily accessible and include: inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, screening, crisis stabilization, family/caregiver support, community outreach and case management, supportive housing, supported employment, prevention and consultation, employee assistance programs, and a licensed therapeutic school from preschool through high school. Specialty services include the New Jersey suicide prevention helpline and peer help lines for police, veterans, active military, teachers, mothers of special needs children and child protective service workers. In FY2016, UBHC treated 16,199 consumers, had 24,502 admissions, and touched the lives of 19,441 individual callers through peer support. In addition, UBHC is the primary mental health training resource for the New Jersey departments of Human Services, Children and Families, and Corrections, delivering 16,000 trainings each year.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a social or healthcare field and/or a mental health capacity preferred.
• Bilingual skills (Spanish/English or Cantonese/English or Mandarin/English) are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Engages individuals served in a collaborative and caring relationship.
• Uses his/her own lived experiences with mental and/or substance use recovery as a vehicle to establish rapport and build relationships with the individuals served and/or their family member(s).
• Demonstrates good communication skills, wellness and recovery oriented coping skills and self-help strategies for individuals served and team members.
• Assists consumers in identifying their strengths and wellness needs in order to establish recovery goals; assists in setting objectives for each goal and collaborates to determine recovery and wellness supports.
• Is actively involved in the development of the consumers treatment/recovery and where applicable assists in development of wellness and recovery plans.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed