Peer Support Specialist

Transitions Mental Health Asso•San Luis Obispo, CA

7d•$26 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

The Mobile Crisis Peer Support Specialist is a member of the Mobile Crisis Team who uses lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges, recovery, or behavioral health services to connect with and support people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The position works alongside crisis response staff in community settings throughout San Luis Obispo County, helping people feel heard, understood, respected, and involved in decisions during difficult experiences. As an active response-team member, the specialist may engage individuals in crisis; support family members and other involved parties; gather information; assist with collaborative safety planning; communicate with community partners; document services; drive; support service linkage; and explain general next steps. The work is collaborative and recovery-oriented and includes Mobile Crisis-specific training, field orientation, collaborative safety planning, supervision, and ongoing skill development. This is a full-time, non-exempt position, 40 hours per week. The anticipated hiring range is $25.50–$26.50 per hour; the full salary schedule is $25.50–$28.33 per hour. The role is field-based and involves frequent computer documentation and driving, including client transportation. Services operate seven days a week, and schedules may include day, evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts. The work involves moderate to substantial physical activity, including possible lifting or moving up to 50 pounds, and moderate risks requiring safety precautions and exposure to potentially intense situations. Transitions–Mental Health Association is a nonprofit agency providing mental health services and support to individuals and families. Its mission is to eliminate stigma and promote recovery and wellness for people with mental illness through work, housing, community, and family support services. The organization describes its workplace as supportive and inclusive, values diversity and individual contributions, and promotes trauma-informed care and collaborative communication.

Requirements

Hold current California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification, or be able to obtain certification within the timeframe established by TMHA.
Successfully complete required Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis-specific training, TMHA field orientation and competency requirements, and at least 10 hours of annual position-relevant training as required by DHCS, San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health, and TMHA.
Have personal lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges, recovery, or behavioral health services, and be able to use that experience appropriately in a professional peer role.
Demonstrate the ability to facilitate communication, support care coordination, and collaborate with behavioral health providers, emergency responders, community partners, families, and other systems within the peer role.
Have strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative work style, and strong oral and written communication skills.
Have organizational and time-management skills and the ability to learn and use required electronic documentation, communication, and tracking systems.
Be able to work independently and flexibly.
Be able to handle intense situations, exercise good judgment and decision-making, and remain calm and clearheaded under pressure.
Work effectively with people of varied ages, backgrounds, identities, and socioeconomic levels.
Be able to possess and maintain good physical and mental health.
Work well within a team and maintain a professional, respectful attitude.
Be willing to work under supervisor oversight and direction, accept coaching and feedback, recognize when more support is needed, and seek supervisory or clinical consultation when appropriate.
Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality within the peer role.
Meet the attendance requirements of a job involving face-to-face interaction with clients and/or employees.
Promote equality and respect diversity, and demonstrate the ability to deliver culturally responsive services.
Know the various dimensions of diversity, including mental health, gender, race, and ethnicity.
Use reasonable precautions and follow applicable safety rules and practices to maximize safety for oneself, coworkers, clients, and others encountered through TMHA business.
Be able to travel throughout San Luis Obispo County, meet TMHA driving requirements when driving is assigned, and work an assigned schedule that may include day, evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts.
Be at least 18 years old, hold a valid California Driver’s License, have at least two years of driving experience, and have a DMV record meeting TMHA’s current vehicle insurance requirements. May be required to use a reliable personal vehicle and auto insurance.
Comply with a TB assessment (and a TB test if needed to confirm a negative result) and obtain criminal record clearance through fingerprinting.
Successfully complete First Aid and CPR training.

Nice To Haves

Experience in peer support, behavioral health, substance use recovery, crisis services, outreach, homelessness services, emergency or urgent behavioral health, or multidisciplinary team settings.
Experience supporting people with significant behavioral health challenges.
Mobile crisis experience; helpful but not required.
Knowledge of San Luis Obispo County behavioral health and community resources.
Bilingual skills or experience working across cultures relevant to the communities served.

Responsibilities

Respond in the community as part of the Mobile Crisis Team, providing compassionate, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented peer support to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
Use listening, empathy, encouragement, and lived experience when appropriate to reduce distress, build trust, promote hope, and support individuals’ dignity, preferences, and choices.
Work collaboratively with Crisis Specialists and other team members to engage individuals, gather relevant non-clinical and collateral information, communicate observations, and identify immediate needs and safety concerns.
Assist with collaborative safety planning, identifying coping strategies and natural supports, and connecting people to behavioral health, substance use, housing, medical, peer, and other community resources.
Provide support and information to family members, caregivers, and other involved supports, and assist with communication involving providers, law enforcement, EMS, hospitals, shelters, and other community partners as appropriate and within the peer role.
Help individuals understand general next steps, referrals, transportation, and voluntary or involuntary crisis processes within training and role boundaries; support transitions to appropriate treatment and community-based services.
Complete assigned non-clinical documentation, tracking, and shift handoff responsibilities accurately and on time while maintaining confidentiality and following privacy and information-sharing requirements.
Assist with preparation for community responses, drive Mobile Crisis program vehicles when assigned, and follow agency procedures for transportation, field safety, and situational awareness.
Participate in supervision, staff meetings, training, debriefing, and ongoing professional development; seek clinical or supervisory consultation when a situation exceeds the peer role or additional support is needed.
Promote and maintain trauma-informed practices and use TMHA’s Guidelines for Collaborative Communication to support clear, empathetic, person-centered communication.
Promote culturally responsive, person-centered, and recovery-oriented practices.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Mobile Crisis Team Lead.