Certified Peer Support Specialist - DHHS

About the role

This WCS Certified Peer Support Specialist position is embedded within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) clinical programming. The role provides Certified Peer Support Services to assigned peers, offering a wide range of supports to assist individuals with mental health and/or substance use issues in their recovery process. Services promote wellness, self-direction, and recovery by enhancing peers’ skills and abilities to meet their chosen goals, while helping them navigate systems with dignity and without trauma. The position requires independent judgment and decision-making to support peers and collaborate on interventions aligned with their goals. Supervision and support are provided by the DHHS team, program manager, and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a flexible schedule to meet the needs of individuals served, including availability by cell phone on nights and weekends.
• Provide individual peer support services for people involved in DHHS clinical outpatient services, aligning with the peer’s individualized treatment and recovery plan.
• Act as a role model and demonstrate recovery and coping techniques, including assisting with recovery-based services, finding self-help groups, problem-solving, building social skills, and combatting negative self-talk.
• Link individuals to self-determined supports and services/resources within the Waukesha community, including natural and family supports in the recovery process.
• Attend DHHS treatment team and clinical supervision meetings to promote peers’ use of self-directed recovery tools.
• Support individuals to become experts in their lived experience, develop a voice and choice in service participation, and empower their recovery.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation of all direct contacts in Avatar (county database) and county spreadsheets, including peer name, date of service, service code, direct service minutes, location, travel time and miles, narrative of service, staff credentials, and signatures.
• Complete all agency training within specified timelines and attend monthly in-person WCS team meetings, dedicated DHHS clinical team supervision meetings, and other required meetings.
• Assist the Program Manager with planning and participating in community building and recovery activities and events.
• Attend in-service training and conferences as required by WCS or DHHS.
• Interact with outside agencies as requested and perform limited driving for work-related duties and community outreach.

Requirements

• High-school diploma.
• Valid driver’s license, automobile, and insurance sufficient to meet agency requirements; must pass a driving record background check.
• Meet all employee requirements, including references, criminal background check (WCS and DHHS), drug test, and driver’s license check.
• Program-specific knowledge (e.g., AODA, mental health, youth).
• Certified as a Peer Support Specialist through the State of Wisconsin.
• One to two years of experience as a peer support specialist is preferred; may be required for some contracts.
• Lived experience with substance use or mental health disorders and a deep understanding of peer support core competencies.
• Comprehensive understanding of substance use and mental health disorders, and knowledge of community resources (e.g., housing, employment, treatment, food insecurity support, parenting resources).
• General knowledge of psychoeducation services, including education and resources, skills training, problem-solving, social and emotional support for mental health or substance use issues, and education around medication compliance, addiction as a disease, cross addiction, and abstinence from non-prescribed substances.
• Knowledge of supporting individuals in crisis.

Skills

• Communication: Ability to provide information effectively with a diverse population, including persons served, agency leadership, supervisors, colleagues, the DHHS Clinical Team, and program partners, in writing and oral communications.
• Technological Aptitude: Ability to use general technological skills in daily work, including email, internet, and agency systems (e.g., Microsoft 365, Windows, Word, Excel).
• Managing Priorities/Deadlines: Ability to maintain schedules, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to think critically, be solution-oriented in a fast-paced environment, adapt to program changes, and demonstrate good judgment in crisis situations.
• Adaptability: Ability to manage change, address situations as they arise, and work independently or as part of a team.
• Teamwork: Ability to work as part of the WCS and DHHS Clinical Teams, contributing productively and respectfully while managing independent duties.
• Motivation: Commitment to the assigned job, peers, mission, and core values of the organization, fostering a respectful and harmonious work setting.
• Professionalism: Ability to conduct oneself with a high level of professional conduct, integrity, ethics, and boundaries.
• Multicultural Sensitivity: Demonstrates professionalism, respect, integrity, cultural sensitivity, and strong interpersonal skills when interacting with diverse populations and representing the organization.
• Program-Specific Skills: Psychoeducation, behavior tailoring, relapse prevention planning, recovery action plan development, recovery/resilience training, social support building, coping skills teaching, assistance with health/telehealth services, post-overdose outreach, linkages to treatment and harm reduction resources, psychosocial resources, and communicable disease screening and education.
• Agency-Specific Skills: Understanding of the agency Employment Handbook, Employee Code of Conduct, UKG (payroll system), Power DMS (agency policies and procedures), Avatar database, SharePoint, Empathy Interviews, and other administrative forms.

Physical demands

The position is not remote; the majority of work is performed at the DHHS office, with some limited outreach required. Community-based work includes home visits and other locations; must be able to navigate stairs, stand, sit, and drive a personal vehicle. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Work environment

Work is primarily conducted in an office environment at an assigned DHHS office, including desk-based computer use and limited travel for community engagement and documentation. The role requires 40 hours per week, with a flexible schedule depending on DHHS needs, including possible evenings and weekend work for crisis support (mostly phone-based, with limited face-to-face contact). All hours worked outside normal business hours must be pre-approved by the Peer Support Program Manager. Employee follows DHHS rules on lunch breaks.