Peer Impact - Peer Support Specialist

CCC • Cape Girardeau, MO

12h • Onsite

About The Position

Peer support encompasses a range of activities and interactions between people who share similar experiences of being diagnosed with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or both. This mutuality-often called "peerness"-between a peer support worker and person in or seeking recovery promotes connection and inspires hope. Peer support offers a level of acceptance, understanding, and validation not found in many other professional relationships. By sharing their own lived experience and practical guidance, peer support workers help people to develop their own goals, create strategies for self-empowerment, and take concrete steps towards building fulfilling, self-determined lives for themselves. The Agency Community Counseling Center (CCC) - Your Behavioral Health + Wellness Resource - is a behavioral health organization that has been serving the public since 1974. We are an administrative agent for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and we are entrusted to provide a full array of comprehensive behavioral health services within our five county catchment area. Our Mission is to provide and support personal growth, wellness, and improved quality of life through the delivery of comprehensive behavioral health services to individuals and families residing in Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, and Ste Genevieve counties in Missouri. Our Vision is to create a diverse and inclusive behavioral healthcare system where individuals and families can readily access mental health and substance use services, feel welcome, accepted, and leave services with hope and improved quality of life. Community Counseling Center is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. CCC will consider requests for reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, etc., please contact [email protected] to speak with us about your needs.

Requirements

• High School Diploma / GED / HSE
• Must self-identify as a former or current consumer of mental health, behavioral health, substance use, or co-occurring disorder services, and must hold, or be eligible to obtain within 75 days of starting, a valid Certified Peer Specialist Credential from the Missouri Credentialing Board.
• Must demonstrate stability by having at least one year in personal recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorder.
• Must hold a Valid driver's license for current State of residence, must meet agency MVR standards, and current auto insurance.

Responsibilities

• Share personal experience with mental illness and personal recovery experience.
• Promote the idea and concept of recovery; serve as role model; build trust with clients and provide hope; help develop communication skills; help clients develop coping skills.
• Interact directly with clients, both individually and in a group.
• Help identify client's individual warning signs and help develop ways to prevent relapse to avoid hospitalizations.
• Provide social interaction and develop social skills.
• Help clients develop insight into their illness and understand their experience with mental illness.
• Assist in developing problem solving skills; teach self-help skills.
• Help clients in developing support systems; connect clients with peer support/self-help groups.
• Assist clients in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy, assist clients in developing skills in combating negative self-talk, assist clients in developing a personal recovery plan, assist clients in developing recovery goals, assist clients in obtaining their recovery goals, assist clients in monitoring progress to achieving goals.
• Assist non-client staff to understand recovery, the importance of recovery-based services and the value of the experience lived by individuals with mental illness.
• Help clients address housing, financial and recreational needs.
• Encourage clients to become more integrated with their communities – developing both skills and encouraging participation.
• Conduct wellness planning and providing vocational, residential, and social rehabilitation.
• Conduct client outreach in the local community.
• Enhance the system's recovery orientation by advocating for effective recovery-based services.
• Serve as a resource to help clients explore activities that in the past gave them meaning and purpose.

What This Job Offers

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