Peer Support Specialist Government Job Dept-Renew Full Time

Position Summary

The Peer Support Specialist provides support to individuals by listening, educating, encouraging, coaching, empowering, and connecting with resources suited to their individual recovery needs and goals. The Peer Support Specialist is qualified through their lived, personal experience and knowledge of community resources. This position is expected to work in conjunction with Renew clinical and medical staff, community partners, law enforcement, the clinical and medical community, and behavioral health staff by assisting individuals, providing support, resource referrals, coaching, empowering co-facilitating groups, transporting to needed services, and individual support in a variety of settings The Peer Support Specialist may act as a cultural broker between the individual, or the individual’s family, and agencies. The expectation is for this position to provide excellent customer service, be able to keep confidentiality, be dependable, and pay attention to details. This position is different from other clinical positions as it is a supportive role to the clinical positions.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

Renew provides individual and/or group treatment services to persistently mentally ill individuals with emotional, behavioral, and other mental disorders. Services are provided to enhance independent choice, satisfaction, and optimum participation in the community, within family, and in employment or education environments. The role of the Peer Support Specialist is based on shared backgrounds and shared experiences. A Peer Support Specialist is qualified through their lived and personal experience of emotional/behavioral/ substance use needs.  The schedule for this position will be set by the assigned manager and/or supervisor to meet the needs of the Agency.

Case Management Peer Support: This position is a member of the Case Management team whose role is to provide individual and/or group treatment services to persistently mentally ill individuals with emotional, behavioral, and other mental disorders. Services are provided to enhance independent choice, satisfaction, and optimum participation in the community, within family, employment, and/or education environments. The role of the Peer Support Specialist is based on shared backgrounds and shared experiences.

Crisis Peer Support: The Peer Support Specialist is a member of the Crisis Solution behavior health team whose role is to provide crisis and/or behavioral health outreach services to individuals. This position provides health education, community linkages, and peer support. The Crisis or Behavioral Health Outreach staff may have a dedicated county vehicle that will serve as their workspace for the majority of their shift.

Recovery Coach Peer Support Specialist: This position is a member of the Crisis Solutions behavioral health team whose role is to work with individuals who struggle with substance abuse disorders. This position works collaboratively with Samaritan Hospital, SUD, and other medical and community partners who support services to clients that have a substance use disorder.

Youth Partner Peer Support Specialist: This position is a formal member of the WISe (Wraparound with Intensive Services) team whose role is to partner with the youth to help support their engagement and active participation in making informed decisions to drive the WISe process. The Youth Partner Peer provides intensive services wrap-around services and support to clients by listening, encouraging, coaching, empowering and connecting with resources suited to their individual recovery needs. The Youth Partner is a mediator, facilitator, and cultural broker between the youth and agencies and ensures that each youth is heard, and their individual needs are being addressed and met.

Family Partner Peer Support Specialist: This position is a formal member of the WISe (Wraparound with Intensive Services) team whose role is to serve the family and help them engage and actively participate on the team and make informed decisions that drive the WISe process. A Family Partner Peer Support Specialist provides intensive wrap-around services and support to individuals by listening, encouraging, coaching, empowering, and connecting with resources suited to their individual recovery needs The Family Partner Peer will provide parent education activities, support, resource referral, coaching, empowering youth, and families of the importance of their voice and choice, and case management in a variety of settings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following examples of duties and accountabilities illustrate the general range of tasks assigned to the position but are not intended to define the limits of required duties.  Other essential duties may be assigned consistent with the general scope of the position. Employee must comply with all County and department policies, procedures, WAC’s, or other regulatory bodies.

• Provide individual, group and/or team treatment services.
• Provide advocacy services to promote a culture of recovery in which each individual’s point of view, experiences, and preferences are recognized, understood, and respected; and in which individual self-determination and decision-making in de-escalating, treatment planning is maximized and supported.
• Act as an advocate to help each individual better understand and empathize with their unique and subjective experience and perceptions.
• Provide education to individuals, families, and community partners regarding mental health situation/ SUD recovery.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the support team, linking individuals to needed resources and serving as a mentor to individuals to promote hope and empowerment.
• Assist with transportation for immediate medically necessary services, when appropriate.
• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with community partners, medical and law enforcement.
• Ability to engage and de-escalate crisis situations with individuals and/or families.
• Provide services that support individual rights and are compatible with the particular culture and primary language of the individual.
• Consult with supervisor, team members and Substance Use Disorder Professional, as needed.
• Provides peer support to and from community functions, appointments, schools, homes and/or other locations as needed.
• Facilitates and coordinates a wide range of scheduled activities to assist individuals in exercising control over their own lives and recovery process for themselves and/or their child/adolescent, including co-facilitating groups.
• Provide behavioral health prevention services, such as outreach, drug use prevention, and education.
• Ability to engage and early interventions to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to submit accurate billing data according to the program requirements.
• Receives regular supervision from a Mental Health Professional and/or Substance Use Disorder Professional.
• Adhere to safety protocols and trainings.
• Assures that all documentation and records meet Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Revised Codes of Washington (RCW), Regional and State contracts, and all other applicable Agency requirements.
• Provide crisis diversion, as needed, as directed by treatment plan goals and the individual’s defined diversions.
• Actively participates in training and other meetings, whether in or out of office, as requested.

Education, Experience, and Licensing

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Any combination of education and experience may be substituted as long as it provides the desired skills, knowledge and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required:

1. High School Diploma/GED;
2. Must have completed or willing to complete the Washington State Peer certification program (Certified Peer Counselor Licensure). Must meet WAC 388-865-0150 definition of a consumer;
3. Strong attention to detail and accuracy;
4. Be a person with lived experience as a participant in Mental Health Services, either as a child or an adult;
5. Valid Washington State Driver’s License: Must have a safe reliable vehicle with proof of automobile insurance;
6. Background Check: Must have an acceptable background report, at time of hire and every three years afterward;
7. Driving Abstract: Must have an acceptable driving record; and
8. Washington State Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor Credential. Must maintain an active credential with the State of Washington.

Preferred:

1. Previous experience as a Peer Counselor and have worked with children and families.
2. Knowledge of County and Agency policies and procedures.
3. Strong connection to the community and very knowledgeable about resources, services, and supports for families.

Physical Abilities: 

The physical abilities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, sit, write, hear, speak and lift up to 50 lbs. of unequal weight.   Specific vision abilities required by this job include close and distance vision, peripheral, depth perception.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: (Several times per shift)

• Typing on keyboard
• Operation of office equipment, including, but not limited to phone, copy machine, fax machine, computer
• Operation of a car
• Personal safety exposure risk: HIGH

HIGH-Tasks that involve exposure to potentially verbally and physically aggressive individuals and/or environments

MEDIUM-Tasks that involve no exposure to potentially verbally and physically aggressive individuals and/or environments, but employment may place employee in unplanned HIGH situations

LOW-Tasks that involve no exposure to potentially verbally and physically aggressive individuals and/or environments

• Exposure Risk Rating: 3

(Universal Precaution Category)

3-Tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues

2-Tasks that involve no exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues, but employment may require performing unplanned category 3 procedures

1-Taskes that involve no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues

Mental Demands: (Several times per shift)

• Concentration required during client assessment/treatment and subsequent documentation.
• Balancing the competing demands of the role while maintaining a high level of accessibility to staff, individuals, and the community.
• Maintaining a high level of, and consistent, professional behavior in unpredictable and stressful situations.
• Continuously motivate, enthuse, and maintain the morale of staff within an ever-changing environment.
• Required to simultaneously manage and prioritize multiple competing tasks/requirements.
• Concentration required for meeting and managing time, completing required documentation, and productivity requirements.
• Respond to telephone calls from professionals or clients which means that work plans need to be changed.
• The ability to act expediently and appropriately when responding to crisis situations.
• On-going requirement for continual updating and learning of techniques and practices, including Information Technology skills.
• Working with clients with complex and diverse care needs.

Emotional Demands: (Variable frequency)

• Communicating and dealing with vulnerable/distressed/anxious individuals, family members, other providers and/or community.
• Dealing with challenging behaviors
• Discussion with individuals about prognosis, treatments, and implications of illness.
• Frequently dealing with situations involving domestic violence, abuse, family breakdown, conflict, and aggression.
• Participating within a team and dealing with any issues of conflict that arise
• Acting as an advocate for individuals.
• Share life experiences.
• Management/dealing with aggressive behavior and situations.
• Employee may experience secondary trauma as a result of exposure to information that is disclosed and/or client actions.

Working Conditions: 

• Work is primarily performed inside and/or outside and, but can be performed in varying temperatures. 
• Work settings may include any of the following: Renew offices, schools, jails, individual’s homes, family’s homes, hospitals, institutional settings, vehicles, or community locations.
• Employee may be exposed to odors or vapors in the office or other work settings. 
• Work may be performed in other environments where the employee may be exposed to sub-sanitary environments, pets, and smoke.
• Daily exposure to potential verbal and physical aggression with risk of personal safety issues.
• Work duties will require the operation of vehicles, which involves risks associated with driving including road traffic conditions and inclement weather.
• Work duties may require employee to transport clients in vehicles.

Other

Union Representation

This position is non-represented.  It is not represented by a labor union.

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Additional Duties for Peer Support Specialist – Behavioral Health Outreach:  Provide behavioral health prevention services, such as outreach, drug use prevention, education, and early interventions to individuals, families, and community.

Disclaimer

The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Application Special Instructions

Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this position.  If both are not included you will not be considered for the position.