Peer Specialist

About the Role

Supporting independence and community inclusion, S:US’ Treatment Services division promotes person-centered services that focus on recovery. We apply evidence-based practice, data-driven accountability, compassion and dedication to our work. Our mission to bring opportunity to all includes recognizing and amplifying the diverse strengths of the people we serve and our teams. We strive to instill respect and integrity into each interaction and support the voices of the people we serve.

Responsibilities

• Engagement:
  • Create a sense of community through the mutual sharing of lived experiences.
  • Create professional boundaries when working with participants.
  • Maintain a caseload and supervise peer specialists.
  • Facilitate engagement with teams by forging strong connections with participants and families.
  • Undertake outreach activities designed to promote community awareness of S:US services.
  • Encourage help-seeking and serve as a bridge between team members and participants when they experience ambivalence about treatment or other services.
  • Develop authentic, meaningful relationships with individuals and families through empathy, listening, and collaborating with genuine curiosity and interest.
  • Understand, share, and discuss multiple frameworks for understanding life experiences with participants and the S:US team.
  • Intentionally use language to listen, understand, and make space for complex personal stories of recovery and resilience.
• Advocacy and Support:
  • Advocate for and facilitate access to needed health care services, proactively addressing potential barriers such as missed appointments, transportation, fear, and stigma.
  • Advocate with and for program participants both in the larger community and on the team.
  • Facilitate individual and group-based educational, recovery, wellness, and skill-building opportunities, including wellness self-management, WRAP, peer support, harm reduction, and other social or leisure activities.
  • Collaborate with participants to clarify their personal visions and develop their wellness toolkit.
  • Support participants in strengthening self-awareness, building life skills, and connecting to resources and community outside of the S:US team.
  • Work actively within the team to build an environment that operates from a belief in human potential to grow and an understanding of human diversity.
  • Accompany individuals to appointments and community/leisure activities.
  • Carry a small caseload, as needed.
• Pre-Crisis and Crisis Support:
  • Provide reassurance and support to individuals in distress or crisis.
  • Employ non-clinical crisis support, especially after periods of hospitalization or incarceration.
  • Assist individuals with putting their wellness, crisis plans, or recovery plan into action.
  • Accompany, support, and advocate on behalf of an individual in an emergency room, crisis unit, or preparing for admission to detox, residential, or other services.
  • Provide short-term post-crisis support to individuals discharged from an emergency room, crisis unit, crisis respite residence, or incarceration.
• Communication:
  • Maintain open and frequent communication with the team, including reporting safety and other concerns.
  • Ensure timely and accurate documentation of interactions with guests, services provided, critical information and events, contacts with collaterals, and referrals, as required by S:US and program policies.
  • Actively participate in agency and staff team meetings, individualized/team supervision, coaching, and professional development activities.
  • Attend all required trainings and maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
  • Participate in required training and professional development activities.
  • Perform other duties as required.
• Community Participation:
  • Utilize shared personal experience to support skill development that guides individuals toward a more independent life in the community.
  • Explore community spaces that promote integration, inclusion, and participation.
  • Support individuals in attending community activities and appointments when requested.
  • Assist individuals in connecting to long-term natural supports that enhance the quality and overall security of life.

Key Performance Standards

• Communication: Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and team members, appreciating their social, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, as well as their age, gender, and abilities.
• Integrity: Uphold personal and professional ethics and values, considering the values of the organization and respecting the culture, beliefs, and abilities of individuals served.
• Person-Centered: Support the person’s independence, choice, and control by providing only as much support as needed to engage in behavior of their choice and provide specific skills to help the person be more independent.
• Continuous Quality Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by regularly searching for information and implementing solutions to solve problems, improve quality/service, efficiency, effectiveness, and/or reduce costs. Use a systematic approach to manage change in a way that clarifies priorities and reduces concern experienced by others.
• Engagement: Use strong interpersonal skills to help individuals feel comfortable and motivated by using language and an approach that helps overcome barriers or stigma. Involve care managers or other team members when appropriate to help individuals and families engage fully in their care.

Requirements

• Certification or Provisional certification as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) OASAS and/or OMH/CRPA certification.
• Active participation in self-help activities, peer support or peer advocacy programs, or participant-run organizations or similar experiences.
• Must have lived experience with the Mental Health and/or Substance Use Treatment system and willingness to share personal experience appropriately and respectfully.
• Understanding of the community in which the team is based with an awareness of available community resources.
• Experience working with families and youth/children.
• The Peer Specialist should have made positive and productive progress toward their own recovery.
• Demonstrate good interpersonal communication skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to, and effectively work with participants.
• Ability/willingness to disclose their recovery story (where appropriate) for the purposes of empowerment.
• Excellent judgment and ability to understand boundaries when working with participants.
• Clear understanding of community diversity and needs.
• Ability to document and translate member needs with a trauma-informed and culturally competent lens.
• Ability to utilize critical thinking, problem-solving, and de-escalation skills to assist with creating and maintaining an environment that promotes recovery.
• Ability to utilize various computer programs, specifically Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Bilingual is a plus.
• A minimum of a High School Diploma or equivalent or higher.

Pay

Min USD $21.63/Hr. Max USD $24.03/Hr.

Benefits

From health and wellness resources to generous PTO, professional development, and more, explore all that we offer on our Benefits Page. S:US invests in you through a culture built on core values: respect, integrity, support, maximizing individual potential, and continuous quality improvement.