Peer Support Specialist (53347)

Westcare • Key Largo, FL

19d • Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Support Specialist supports medical services for individuals receiving outpatient mental health services by assisting with treatment plans and reviews, patient assistance programs, IDP and outcomes, authorization overrides, follow-ups, state paperwork, and referrals. The role conducts face-to-face visits and handles medical-service-related telephone calls. Drawing on lived experience, the specialist provides the consumer perspective on recovery and empowers clients.

As a member of the Comprehensive Care Team (CCT), the specialist helps develop person-centered Wellness and Recovery plans, encourages peers to pursue plan goals and self-advocacy, and promotes recovery using SAMHSA’s Guiding Principles of Recovery. The role applies Motivational Interviewing and Collaborative Care techniques, provides health-promotion activities, connects clients with community and social supports, facilitates approved psycho-educational activities, documents services in medical records, conducts follow-up NOMS assessments, and participates in case conferences, training, and performance-improvement activities.

The specialist is expected to complete orientation and mandated training on time and to embody the mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical vision, and goals of WestCare Foundation. Work is primarily performed in a residential treatment setting. The employee must be able to perform essential duties with or without accommodation, including working under stress and in emotionally charged settings and meeting program deadlines.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Current recipient of behavioral health services with at least two years in recovery (mental health and, if applicable, substance abuse).
• HIV/AIDS 104 Basic Education and valid CPR certificates.
• Current CPPS and/or CPRS Peer Certification from the Florida Certification Board, or ability to obtain certification within one year of employment.
• Complete 20 hours of continuing education annually.
• Medical terminology knowledge and understanding.
• Written and verbal communication, administrative, and clerical skills.
• Knowledge of theoretical and practical concepts of individual, group, and family behavior.
• Ability to deal with crisis situations, manage change, achieve results, and appropriately respond to medical or psychiatric emergencies.
• Ability to handle a voluminous flow of detailed work, prepare clear and precise reports, follow and interpret instructions, and identify, prioritize, and follow through on assignments.
• Working knowledge of reimbursement-related rules and requirements.
• Ability to demonstrate empathy and compassion during medical or psychiatric crises and respect in all dealings with clients; ensure clients understand communications; and seek supervisor direction when appropriate.
• Ability to comply with statutory requirements and professional and ethical responsibilities concerning confidentiality.
• Knowledge of WestCare’s mission, goals, and values; incident reporting; HIPAA; professional ethics; client rights; and confidentiality.
• Familiarity with WestCare services and programs.
• Understanding of cultural identity, ethnicity, age, developmental level, gender, and sexual orientation as they relate to prevention, intervention, and treatment; ability to work effectively with culturally diverse staff and clients and respect individual cultural and ethnic values.
• Ability to use trauma-informed care principles, identify and describe trauma signs and impacts, distinguish trauma-informed from trauma-specific services, understand relationships among substance use, mental disorders, and trauma, and understand different forms and sources of abuse and trauma.
• Dependability, good attendance, flexibility, productive work habits, integrity, and ability to work independently with minimal supervision while accepting direction.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, coworkers, external partners, and regulatory agencies; communicate courteously and tactfully; and cooperate with others.
• Ability to maintain a safe, clean, and orderly work area and follow agency safety and unusual-incident reporting procedures.
• Professional demeanor and presentation.
• Ability to work and cooperate with clients, coworkers, managers, the public, and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, instructions, and opinions.
• Ability to work under stress in emotionally charged settings and manage program time demands and deadlines.
• Ability to perform the essential duties and activities with or without accommodation.
• Ability to lift and/or carry more than 20 pounds occasionally and twist and/or turn occasionally.
• Ability to use computer and telephone systems, including eye-hand coordination and fine hand manipulation for typing, writing, and handling files.
• Ability to speak, hear detailed oral information, and see clearly at close and distance ranges.
• Normal routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids, or tissues; exposure or potential exposure may nevertheless be required as a condition of employment, with personal protective equipment available.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s-level degree preferred.
• Training and/or experience in crisis intervention preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the Comprehensive Care Team (CCT).
• Participate in developing person-centered Wellness and Recovery plans that integrate clinical and non-clinical health-care needs and services with the individual and CCT.
• Encourage and support peers in achieving Wellness and Recovery plan goals and becoming effective self-advocates.
• Promote recovery based on SAMHSA’s Guiding Principles of Recovery.
• Apply Motivational Interviewing strategies to engage service recipients.
• Apply Collaborative Care techniques presented in the IMPACT model of integrated healthcare.
• Provide health-promotion activities to individuals with SMI and encourage participation in available community activities.
• Assist and support clients with referrals and linkages to community and social-support services.
• Facilitate psycho-educational activities for groups and individuals using the approved Solutions for Wellness and Team Solutions curricula.
• Document services provided to clients in the medical record.
• Locate PBHCI clients and conduct due follow-up NOMS assessments.
• Participate in case conferences, required training, and Performance Improvement activities.
• Assist with treatment plans and reviews, patient assistance programs, IDP and outcomes, authorization overrides, follow-ups, state paperwork, and referrals.
• Conduct face-to-face visits and handle medical-service-related telephone calls with individuals receiving outpatient mental health services.
• Complete orientation and mandated training activities, including e-learning courses, within required timeframes.
• Embrace and embody WestCare Foundation’s mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical vision, and goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED