Peer Support Worker / Specialist
About The Position
The Peer Support Specialist will provide emotional support and empathy, advocate for least restrictive environment, help individuals deescalate themselves, promote engagement with community supports, serve as a role model, hope-filled engagement and support to individuals in crisis, assist individuals in advocating for their choices, needs, and rights, serve as a bridge between individuals and clinical staff, and provide resources and guidance to help individuals navigate behavioral health and community support systems. This position requires work on-site and off-site in the community. This position is open to daytime (8am – 4pm) evening (4pm – 12am), nights (12am – 8am) and weekends. This is not a hybrid position.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED.
- Has individual lived experience, or experience as a caregiver of a child, with behavioral health needs.
- Minimum of 2–4 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations, community mental health, human services, social services, or a related field.
- Must obtain CRSS certification within 1 year of hire.
- Must be at least 21 years of age and hold a valid Driver’s License.
- Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Excel in a professional environment is needed.
Nice To Haves
- Strong understanding of community resources and social services.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrates the ability to work within agency structure, accept supervision, and participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, when applicable
- Ability to handle high-stress situations with professionalism and composure.
- Strong organizational and multitasking abilities.
- Firm understanding and ability to document all client interactions.
- Comfortability working in an emotionally charged environment.
- Final candidates will be required to complete and successfully pass a background check prior to hire
Responsibilities
- Ability to self-transport within the community within 60 minutes of receiving a crisis call. The Peer Support Specialist will work collaboratively with the members of the crisis team.
- Assist clients with symptom management and recovery by modeling wellness, personal responsibility, self-advocacy, and hopefulness through the sharing of his or her story, in the process role modeling how the needs of individuals can be met.
- Provide guidance and encouragement to clients to actively participate in their own recovery. Teach clients self-advocacy skills.
- Promote personal growth and development with mental health issues.
- Assist, teach, and support clients regarding activities of daily living, vocational skills, housing access, maintaining financial support, and building support networks.
- Provide side-by-side support, coaching and encouragement to help clients socialize and carry out leisure-time activities in the evenings, weekends, and holidays. Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities and provide other opportunities to practice social skills.
- Link clients to other external sources of help when needed.
- Assist clients in identifying with other consumers who have done well in recovery.
- When appropriate, share with clients his/her own experiences with mental illness and recovery.
- Attend and participate in team meetings and supervision meetings.
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all client interactions and support activities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
