Consumer Inclusion Coordinator

About the role

BHSB is hiring a Consumer Inclusion Coordinator to elevate the voices of people with lived experience and transform behavioral health systems. In this dynamic, hybrid role, you’ll connect, support, and empower peers—creating pathways to certification, meaningful employment, and leadership. Your work will drive access, equity, and quality of care.

Responsibilities

• Directly engage persons with lived experience of recovery from addiction or mental illness (“peers”) as well as people directly impacted by those who use drugs and/or alcohol and people with mental health issues who don’t identify as being in recovery (collectively referred to here as “People with Lived Experience” or PWLE).
• Develop and implement a communications strategy to ensure Baltimore-based PWLE have timely access to relevant information, including management of a peer e-mail list.
• Plan and implement networking events for PWLE, community health workers, and allies.
• Support PWLE in finding paid and volunteer work in the behavioral health field.
• Educate PWLE on the process of how to become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS).
• Support peers in the certification process, including identifying volunteer opportunities to help meet the volunteer hours requirement.
• Coordinate and facilitate trainings for peers that contribute towards the CEUs required for certification, including but not limited to:
• Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery – Recovery Coach Academy (CCAR-RCA)
• Intentional Peer Support (IPS)
• Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
• Ethics
• Advocacy
• SMArt Recovery
• Increase the number of certified peers in Baltimore City.
• Educate prospective employers and supervisors on the value of peers and peer roles and responsibilities, and where needed, provide technical assistance (e.g. advising on job descriptions and training plans).
• Source and disseminate peer employment opportunities.
• Increase the number of Registered Peer Supervisors (RPS) in Baltimore City and increase the proportion of peer positions that report to an RPS.
• Act as a liaison between the local behavioral health system and the peer certification board.
• Collaborate with local and state entities to expand and improve peer services.
• Participate in initiatives to improve access to (or quality of) behavioral health care, particularly initiatives focused on underserved populations (e.g. older adults, pregnant women, persons experiencing homelessness, overdose survivors).
• Provide expertise on how roles for PWLE could advance those initiatives.
• Support initiatives in creating a framework to include PWLE (e.g. volunteer roles, job descriptions), with an emphasis on including PWLE whose experiences most closely match the experiences of the target population served.
• Support initiatives in creating roles where PWLE have decision-making capacity.
• Support initiatives in implementing the planned framework (e.g. helping find people with “matched” lived experience or who have an interest in the subject matter).
• Collaboratively develop a vision and support implementation of a plan for improving inclusion of PWLE in the Behavioral Health System.
• Provide data and analysis on inclusion efforts.
• Provide support to other efforts to support and mobilize PWLE in alignment with the priorities of the public behavioral health system.
• Engage in honest dialogue and navigate conflict in day-to-day interactions.
• Operate from a place of integrity and assume an ethical obligation to protect the security and confidentiality of all PHI in accordance with BHSB’s policies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in a related field is preferred but not required.
• Five years experience working in a behavioral health field.
• Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) is preferred.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the following principles and practices and provide leadership to efforts to advance these within the public behavioral health system:
• Racial Equity, health disparities, and cultural competency
• Integrated care and coordination of care
• Self-determination, client-centered care, harm reduction, and Housing First
• Parity and access to care
• Chronic care management
• Demonstrate unconditional positive regard for others and a non-judgmental and person-centered approach to problem-solving.
• Demonstrate cultural competence and a commitment to equity.
• Develop workplans and processes to execute complex tasks.
• Organize, track, and effectively prioritize a large number of simultaneous tasks.
• Maintain flexibility to changing priorities and processes.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary, culturally diverse, team-based work environment.
• Maintain detailed knowledge of the behavioral health system.
• Show intermediate expertise in using technology to support work processes, including but not limited to Microsoft 365 programs.
• Show excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interact in a hybrid/virtual environment.
• Proficient using Microsoft Office Suite Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a behavioral health field.
• Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS).
• Thorough understanding of the principles and practices of the public behavioral health system.
• Unconditional positive regard for others and a non-judgmental and person-centered approach to problem-solving.
• Cultural competence and a commitment to equity.
• Intermediate expertise in using technology to support work processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interact in a hybrid/virtual environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Skills

• Effective communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to navigate conflict and maintain integrity.
• Knowledge of the behavioral health system and its principles.
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.

Benefits

Competitive pay ($34.95/hr) and incredible benefits. BHSB offers a comprehensive benefits plan including medical, dental, and vision coverage, employer-paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, a 403(b) plan with employer contributions, a choice of 4 FSA plans, an employee-paid legal benefit, generous PTO, and 13 paid holidays. Additionally, medical plan participants receive an employer-paid Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) to cover eligible deductible and copay expenses, depending on chosen coverage.

Pay

$34.95/hr

Schedule

Full-time, Baltimore-based.

Company Information

BHSB is a non-profit organization that serves as the Local Behavioral Health Authority (LBHA) on behalf of Baltimore City. BHSB is responsible for planning, managing, and monitoring resources, programs, and policies within the larger Medicaid fee-for-service system, as well as services directly funded by BHSB through private and public grants. BHSB partners closely with Baltimore City and the State of Maryland to build an efficient and responsive system that comprehensively addresses mental illness and substance use and meets the needs of the whole person. BHSB has connections to other local systems, such as law enforcement, schools, social services, and courts, to ensure there is broad access to behavioral health services across systems and in communities. BHSB values all people and their experiences, including those who have had prior contact with the legal system. We are committed to providing individuals with criminal records, including formerly incarcerated individuals and individuals with arrest or conviction records, a fair chance at employment. BHSB also takes steps to proactively prevent and address conflict and discrimination by investing in organizational education to foster the development of an accountable and respectful workplace where all employees are supported and encouraged to do their best work.