ACCS Peer Specialist

About the role

The Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) assists hundreds of clients across the South Shore, who are referred by the Department of Mental Health and in need of support with their rehabilitation and recovery. The ACCS team provides multi-disciplinary support for clients managing psychiatric symptoms while living independently in apartments, family homes, shelters, and within one of 14 Aspire Health Alliance staffed residences.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out rehabilitation and support functions and assisting in treatment; providing education, support, and consultation to families; and providing crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees.
• Provide mentor and outreach services to ACCS clients.
• Provides peer counseling and support, drawing on common experiences as a peer, to validate clients' experiences and to provide guidance and encouragement to clients to take responsibility and actively participate in their own recovery.
• Provides expertise and consultation from a mental health consumer perspective to the entire team concerning clients' experiences on symptoms of mental illness, the effects and side-effects of medications, clients' responses to and opinions of treatment and client's experiences of recovery.
• Collaborates with the team to promote a team culture in which each clients' point of view, experiences, and preferences are recognized, understood, and respected, and in which client self-determination and decision-making in treatment planning are maximized and supported.
• Assists clients identify, understand, and combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and develop strategies to reduce self stigma.
• Assists other team members to identify and understand culture-wide stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness and develop strategies to eliminate stigma within the team.
• Increases awareness of and support client participation in consumer self-help programs and consumer advocacy organizations that promote recovery.
• Serves as the liaison between the team and consumer-run programs such as self-help groups and drop-in centers.
• Organizes and leads individual and group social and recreational activities to help clients structure their time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills.

Requirements

• Current or previous experience as a consumer of mental health services required.
• High School Diploma required.
• Peer Specialist Certification required within 6 months from date of hire.
• Valid driver's license and access to personal vehicle required.
• Bilingual skills and/or experience with multicultural populations preferred.
• May have related training (e.g., certified occupational therapy assistant, home health care aide) or work experience (e.g., teaching) and life experience.
• Must have a strong commitment to the right and ability of each person with a severe and persistent mental illness to live in normal community residences; work in market jobs; and have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services.
• Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect for client rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential.
• Has experience with recovery from psychiatric disabilities.

Pay

Compensation is based on candidate experience, qualifications, and certifications and licenses. Annual ranges listed are based on a full-time, 40 hours per week position. Salary Range $20 - $20 USD