Peer Support Specialist - Community Mental Health

Volunteers of America, Utah is an affiliate of a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization that has served communities across the United States for more than 125 years. Our mission is to provide community-supported paths for those who are vulnerable to improve their lives and increase their self-reliance. Our programs serve people experiencing challenges related to mental health, substance use, and homelessness. We encourage all who are passionate about making a difference, including individuals with lived experience, to apply.

About the role

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a consumer-centered, recovery-oriented mental health service delivery model for facilitating community living, psychosocial rehabilitation, and recovery for persons who have the most severe disabling mental illnesses and/or severe symptoms and impairments. ACT clients are high utilizers of crisis services.

Under the direct supervision of the Program Manager, the Certified Peer Support Specialist promotes recovery through lived experience and provides individualized supportive case management to agency clients with the goals of:

• Assisting clients to achieve or maintain stability and independence
• Providing assistance accessing resources to help clients meet their housing and other needs
• Providing expertise about the recovery process and symptom management

This is a shared position between both ACT Teams; you will spend 50% of your time with ACT 1 and 50% of your time with ACT 2.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer counseling and consultation to individual clients, families, and team staff
• Provide case management needs which include being responsible for assessing service needs and coordinating access to necessary services
• Apply, acquire, and maintain benefits long term for clients
• Provide practical help and supports, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem solving, direct assistance training, and supervision to help clients obtain the necessities of daily living
• Provide on-call crisis intervention
• Participate in daily staff organizational meetings and treatment planning review meetings
• Complete documentation and meet minimum service time based on ACT requirements
• Attend work on a regular and predictable basis

Secondary Duties

• Maintain good professional relationships with appropriate community figures, referral sources, and other professionals
• Maintain and enhance professional skills and knowledge through attending conferences/workshops/courses and reading professional materials relevant to job requirements
• Demonstrate familiarity with and adherence to Utah laws regarding confidentiality and mandatory reporting requirements
• Conduct professional life in accordance with the standards of your discipline and the clinical policies and procedures of the agency
• Perform other functions as necessary or assigned

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Certification in Utah as a Peer Support Specialist is required from a curriculum approved by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (UAPSS, USU, USARA, SBH, Optum, LBHS, DBH, FPST)
• Work experience with adults with severe and persistent mental illness and substance use disorders or any combination of education, experience, and training which provides the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
  • Knowledge/experience working with at-risk populations is preferred
  • Knowledge/experience collaborating with community resources
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Certified as a Case Manager in the state of Utah
• Ability to build rapport with clients and engage them in case management
• Ability to build and foster relationships with partner agencies
• Ability to maintain a calm demeanor amidst potentially high distress population
• Computer literate with proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Ability to uphold professional boundaries, confidentiality regulations, agency policies and procedures, and interact in a professional manner with a diverse workforce, clients, and the public
• Willingness to accept supervision and direction
• Become CPR and First Aid Certified
• If driving is a part of the job, must be at least 21 years of age, possess a current driver’s license, have a good driving record, and be insurable on the agency liability policy
• Must be able to pass Utah-DHHS – Office of Licensing background screening and maintain ‘eligible’ determination through continuous monitoring
• Must pass pre-employment drug screen

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift and carry 25 lbs
• Ability to walk up and down stairs
• Ability to move around the facility, interacting with clients for extended periods
• Work is performed inside and outside of an office environment; must have ability to climb stairs, enter client homes, as well as deliver services in shelter, on the street, etc.
• May entail using a computer for extended periods of time

Benefits

• Low-cost medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Health savings account
• 403b retirement plan with employer match (50% match up to 3%)
• Employee Assistance Program for all employees
• 33 paid days off: 11 observed paid holidays, 12 sick days, and 10 vacation days to start. Vacation increases to 12 days after 1 year, 15 days after 2 years, and more at 5 and 9 years of service
• Sick and vacation time accrue hourly per pay period
• $50,000 in employer-paid life insurance; additional coverage available
• Employer contribution to your Health Savings Account (paid quarterly)
• Employee Referral Program including cash bonuses and paid time off