Peer Support Specialist - BHRC Day Center

Job Summary

The Peer Support Specialist (PSS) provides peer support as someone who has similar life experiences and acts as a positive role model for living in recovery. The PSS is a member of interdisciplinary teams participating in collaboratively supporting an individual’s self-defined and self-directed care.

About the Role

The Multnomah County Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) is an innovative model that has been led by peers and centers its values in being trauma-informed and equity based. The BHRC includes a Peer Run Day Center, 33 bed shelter with stays up to 30 days and a 19-bed bridge to housing program with stays up to 90 days for people experiencing houselessness and behavioral health challenges. The Day Center is run by The Peer Company and is staffed entirely by peers from 8 am to 8 pm daily.

Qualifications

• Identifies as having lived experience in recovery with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or mental health challenges.
• Has at least 24 months of continuous, sustained recovery with SUD and/or mental health challenges before employment.
• Understands the principles of trauma-informed care, recovery, consumer-involvement.
• Maintaining Continuous Recovery: Employees serving in recovery-focused roles who have lived experience with substance use disorder (SUD) must maintain continuous recovery and remain abstinent by not engaging in substance or alcohol use (illegal, legal, and recreational) during their employment with TPC.
• Peer Support Specialist (OHA Traditional Health Worker certification) or MHACBO CRM certification required or able to be obtained within 90 days of hire.

Essential Functions

• Provides 1:1 peer support to diverse individuals being served in accordance with TPC’s values alignment and principles of peer support.
• Collaborates with individuals to create Person Directed Plans (PDPs) to support their individualized recovery journey.
• Participates in regular peer support supervision sessions.
• Collaborate with other service providers and interdisciplinary teams to support participant PDPs and recovery journeys.
• Attends meetings, as applicable, to gain knowledge, communicate program objectives, and advocate for the needs of the participants being served.
• Implements the regulations, policies, and procedures which pertain to peer-delivered service, TPC, and community partners.
• Participate in BHRC Day Center opening and/or closing procedures and protocol. Following the direction of the participants served, assist participants in exploring strategies that increase satisfaction with the eight dimensions of wellness.
• Travels to visit community partners and participants, occasionally transporting participants to relevant community partners.
• Administers outcome measurement tools with individuals being served and participates in data collection.
• Support participants in crisis by helping them to deescalate and identify next steps in their recovery journey.
• Aid participants in identifying and engaging various community resources and supports.
• Documents support services in a program database in a manner that assures compliance with policies, program procedures and local, state, and federal regulations.
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date documentation as required by program deliverables.
• Mets TPC’s metric-based performance expectations based on organizational standards and contract deliverables.
• Acts as a positive role model for individuals being served and exploring their own path to wellness and recovery.
• Respects and honors a person’s rights and responsibilities and demonstrates professional boundaries and ethics.
• Adheres to mandatory abuse reporting laws and HIPAA requirements.