Peer Support Specialist - PACT (Missoula, MT)

Aware Inc.•Missoula, MT

1d•$21 - $26

About The Position

AWARE is hiring a full-time Peer Support Specialist for its PACT team in Missoula, Montana. The role uses personal recovery experience to support participants in their recovery and help them become active members of their community. The Peer Support Specialist works from a strengths-based perspective, provides individual and group peer support, and helps participants take responsibility for and actively participate in their recovery. The position also provides practical assistance, advocacy, mentoring, coordination, and individualized support to help participants meet everyday needs and access services.

Requirements

High school diploma or HSE.
Past employment experience.
Two years of active participation in mental health self-help activities, peer support or peer advocacy programs, participant-run organizations, or similar experiences or programs.
Ability or willingness to disclose a personal recovery story when appropriate to empower participants.
Good interpersonal communication skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to, and effectively work with participants in mental health services.
Ability to obtain and maintain the Peer Support Specialist Case Manager credential. Required steps include 40 hours of training, an assessment completed no more than 90 days before application submission, submission and approval of the PST Case Manager Application, and passing the required test.

Nice To Haves

Lived experience of mental health challenges that includes experience with psychosis during youth; personal experience with psychosis is not required.
Young adulthood, though candidates of any age may be considered if they relate well to young people.
Understanding of the community where the team is based and awareness of available community resources.

Responsibilities

Use personal recovery experience to support individuals receiving services in all aspects of their recovery.
Support the PACT team in working with program participants from a strengths-based perspective.
Provide individual and group peer counseling and support, drawing on shared experiences to validate participants’ experiences and encourage active participation in recovery.
Provide practical help, mentoring, advocacy, coordination, individualized side-by-side support, problem solving, direct assistance, and supervision.
Help participants obtain necessities and services, including medical and dental care, legal and advocacy services, financial supports and entitlements, housing subsidies, money-management services, and transportation.