BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PRACTIONER: CERTIFIED PEER SPECIALIST - ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREAMTENT (ACT)

About the role

Central Minnesota Mental Health Center (CMMHC) is seeking a proven leader to serve as the Behavioral Health Practitioner: Certified Peer Specialist – Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program within our Monticello Team. This position provides a continuum of services including assessment, treatment, education, and support.

What is Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)? Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an intensive, non‑residential mental health service for persons with serious mental illness. These individuals commonly experience multiple barriers to successful functioning, including co‑occurring substance abuse or dependence, homelessness and unemployment. ACT teams help individuals treat and manage their mental illnesses and develop the skills they need for life in the community of their choice. ACT services are provided by a multidisciplinary team, blend of treatment, rehabilitation, therapeutic, and supportive services, directed to persons with a serious mental illness who require intensive services, offered on a time‑unlimited basis and available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

Responsibilities

• Functions as a role model to peers; exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills.
• Assists clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma through self‑advocacy.
• Provides opportunities for people using mental health service to practice self‑efficacy, through activities that emphasize the enhancement of skills needed to move forward in mental health recovery.
• Assists peers in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process.
• Utilizes and teaches problem‑solving techniques with individuals and groups.
• Shares own experiences and what skills, strengths, support, and resources the peer specialist used in their own use of mental health services; as much as possible, will share their own recovery story and as a facilitator of these sessions, will demonstrate how they have directed their own recovery.
• Supports clients’ vocational choices and assists them in choosing a job that matches their strengths, overcoming job‑related anxiety by reviewing job applications and providing interview tips.
• Assists the clients in obtaining decent and affordable housing of their choice in the most integrated, independent, and least intrusive environment.

Requirements

• Peer Specialist Certification or enrolled in Peer Certification Training
• Mental Health Practitioner status per Minnesota Statute
• Qualify as a Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) – 4,000 hours working with those with mental health, developmental disabilities, or chemical dependency diagnosis (can be part‑time over several years or 2 years full‑time) OR
• Holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences or related fields and completes a practicum/internship or employment that (1) requires direct interaction with adults or children served, and (2) is focused on behavioral sciences or related fields (2,000 hours) OR
• Holds a master’s degree or another graduate degree in behavioral sciences or related fields
• Experience in wellness coaching