Peer Support Specialist - HS061
About The Position
The Peer Support Specialist is a fully integrated member of the housing team, providing expertise about recovery, symptom management, and the persistence participants need to live satisfying lives. The role promotes a team culture that recognizes and respects each participant’s perspectives, experiences, and preferences within Native American and Alaska Native cultural contexts. The specialist provides peer counseling and consultation to individual and family participants in permanent supportive housing (PSH) and to team staff; connects participants with community resources; supports behavioral health services; and provides education, family support, consultation, and crisis intervention under clinical supervision. Services may take place in participants’ homes or elsewhere in the community. This position works with single adults and families who have experienced unsheltered homelessness. The position requires the employee to openly identify as a current or former recipient of behavioral health services and share lived experience as appropriate. The specialist uses that experience to offer hope and practical, individualized support while maintaining professional boundaries and collaborating with participants, families, colleagues, and community resources.
Requirements
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
- Self-identify as a current or former recipient of behavioral health services and be willing to share lived experience as appropriate.
- Complete Peer Wellness Training approved by the Oregon Health Authority and qualify for Peer Support Specialist certification within six months of hire, or qualify for credentialing as a Certified Recovery Mentor through MHACCBO.
- Knowledge and understanding of mental illness, addictions, and physical health, with the ability to work within an integrated system of care.
- Exceptional interpersonal communication skills and ability to engage positively with participants, promote strengths and well-being, and coordinate care collaboratively as part of an integrated team.
- Flexibility, confidentiality, and demonstrated ability and ongoing commitment to maintaining professional boundaries with participants, the community, and staff.
- Ability to work professionally and collaboratively in a team environment and treat everyone with respect and dignity.
- Ability to perform CPR and First Aid; certifications must be current and remain current.
- Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and access to reliable personal transportation.
- Ability to pass pre-employment or for-cause drug testing and criminal-background and DMV checks.
- Comply with NARA NW’s drug-free and alcohol-free workplace and modeling sobriety policies, including signing the required workplace certification and policy forms.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with the Native American/Alaska Native community.
Responsibilities
- Share lived experience of receiving behavioral health services as appropriate and act as a role model who inspires hope.
- Provide practical assistance, mentoring, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem-solving, direct assistance, and supervision to help participants obtain necessities of daily living.
- Help participants access medical and dental care, legal and advocacy services, financial support and entitlements, money-management services, and transportation.
- Promote awareness of and participation in consumer self-help programs, culturally specific services, and consumer advocacy organizations.
- Assist with ongoing assessment of participants’ support-service needs and recommend changes to service plans as needs, including behavioral health needs, change.
- Assist in providing individual, group, and family clinical services in community settings to teach symptom-management techniques and promote personal growth and development.
- Support participants in establishing and effectively using primary care, dental, and other medical specialist services.
- Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities that help participants structure their time, build social experiences, practice social skills, and attend cultural activities.
- Collaborate with participants, NARA staff, and team members while maintaining professional boundaries and treating everyone with respect and dignity.
- Provide family support, consultation, and crisis intervention under clinical supervision.
Benefits
- 15 paid holidays, including the employee’s birthday.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance through Kaiser Permanente for employees working at least 20 hours per week; coverage begins on the first of the month following hire.
- 13 paid days of sick time.
- 13 paid days of paid time off, with vacation accrual increasing with years of service to a maximum of 26 days.
- $50,000 life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
- Short-term and long-term disability.
- Flexible Spending Account.
- Health Spending Account.
- 401(k) with 4% employer match.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Inclement weather days (snow days).
- Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
